•*• 


University  of  California. 


Alexander  Del  Mar. 


18TS 


Accessions  No. 


Shelf  No. 


V 


WAR    PICTURES 


FROM 


THE    SOUTH. 


BY 


B.    ESTVlN, 

COLONEL  OF  CAVALEY  IK  TUB  CONFEDERATE  ABUT. 

LIB  it  A  It  Y 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

CALIFORNIA. 

^  /y 


NEW  YORK : 
D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY, 

443  &  445  BROADWAY, 

1863, 


•„  J 


ENTERED,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1SG3,  by 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY, 

In  ike  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


1,1  HH  AK*    ' 

wiaiTY    OF 


PREFACE. 


I  HAVE,  as  a  refugee,  for  the  second  time  set  my  foot 
upon  the  rocky  shores  of  Old  England,  to  complete, 
under  the  shelter  of  her  glorious  banner,  a  narrative  of 
the  remarkable  events  that  occurred  during  a  period  of 
more  than  eighteen  months'  campaigning  in  America, 
the  knowledge  of  which  I  acquired  from  my  personal 
experience  as  an  officer  of  the  Confederate  army. 

Now  that  my  book  is  ready,  I  can  confidently  place 
it  before  the  reader,  with  the  assurance  that  these 
"  War  Pictures  "  have  been  delineated  not  only  to  the 
best  of  my  ability,  but  with  a  conscientious  regard  to 
truth. 

Although  circumstances  led  me  to  take  service  in 
the  Confederate  army — my  long  residence  in  the 
Southern  States  being,  however,  the  main  inducement 
thereto — I  have  not  been  the  less  disposed  to  do  justice 
to  both  sides  engaged  in  this  lamentable  contest. 
Thus,  while  ever  ready  to  bestow  my  hearty  admiration 
on  all  the  instances  that  came  to  my  knowledge  of 
heroism,  patriotic  devotion,  and  high-principled  con 
duct,  whether  displayed  on  the  part  of  my  own  com 
rades  or  on  that  of  their  opponents,  I  have,  on  the 
other  hand,  not  hesitated  to  lay  bare  the  errors  and 
blamable  acts,  by  whomsoever  committed,  that  have 


PREFACE. 


been  conducive  to  so  much  disaster  and  misery,  nor 
have  I  spared  the  wrong  doers. 

Having  completed  my  task,  my  thoughts  naturally 
recur  to  the  land  wherein  this  unholy  war  is  raging. 
To  America,  my  second  home,  whose  image  I  cling  to 
with  fond  attachment,  I  cannot  look  back  without  sor 
row  for  her  misfortunes.  I  there  contemplate  deplor- 
ingly  the  spectacle  of  a  people  once  united,  now 
dissevered  through  mad  dissensions  —  dissensions  which, 
involving  in  their  fatal  course  the  principle  of  the 
defence  and  maintenance  of  sacred  rights,  have  issued 
in  a  suicidal  conflict.  My  memory,  in  reverting  to  the 
fearful  scenes  so  recently  witnessed,  painfully  recalls 
those  sanguinary  battle  fields  whereon  many  a  gallant 
soldier  breathed  out  his  spirit,  struck  to  death  by  the 
bullet  of  a  man  whom  he  had  been  wont  to  regard  in 
the  light  of  a  brother.  Again  the  gaunt  spectre  of 
discord  rises  before  me,  with  lightning  flashing  from  its 
eyes,  and  rancor  foaming  at  its  lips,  as,  armed  with  a 
scourge  of  serpents,  it  frantically  urges  on  whole  popu 
lations  to  mutual  destruction  ! 

Now  that  my  book  is  ready,  I  dedicate  it  to  the 
soldiers  of  the  two  contending  armies,  as  a  greeting 
from  afar.  I  have  only  to  add,  that  if  some  of  my 
criticisms  may  appear  too  severe  to  those  whose  con 
duct  I  censure,  I  have,  in  making  use  of  them,  been 
actuated  solely  by  a  fearless  resolve  to  tell  the  truth 
and  state  my  honest  convictions.  In  the  exercise  of 
this,  which  I  claim  to  be  an  undoubted  right,  have  I 
written  my  book. 

T.HE  AUTHOR. 

Dover,  May,  1863. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  I. 
Secession  of  South  Carolina,         .....  .1 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Riot  at  Baltimore, 36 

CHAPTER  III. 
Destruction  of  the  Fleet  at  Portsmouth,  .....  42 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Battle  of  Bethel, 45 

CHAPTER  V. 
Colonel  Porterfield's  Volunteers,  .  .  .  .  .          49 

CHAPTER  VI. 
M'Clellan's  Victory  at  Rich  Mountain,         ft          »          *          .  »          %      52 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Movements  on  the  Potomac,          .......  61 

CHAPTER  VIII. ! 
Bull  Run,  ..........      66 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Battle  of  Manassas,     .  ...  .  .  .  .  .  71 

CHAPTER  X. 
Richmond  after  the  Battle  of  Manassas,        .  .  .  ;  .  .103 

CHAPTER  XL 
Beauregard  Commander  in-Chief  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,       .  .         107 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Campaign  in  Western  Virginia,  .  .  .  *        .  .  .118 

1* 


V  CONTENTS. 

PJLGB 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Operations  on  Gauley  River,         ......  114 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Camp  Dcliance,  Cheat  Mountain,  Cotton  Hill,        .  .  .  .  .122 

CHAPTER  XV. 
M'Clcllan  appointed  to  the  chief  command  of  the  Federal  Army,  .  .  131 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Campaign  in  Missouri,      ........    135 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Battle  of  Carthage, 140 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
The  Battle  of  Oak  Hill,  or  Wilson  Creek, 147 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

A  General  without  an  Army,        .......         151 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Battle  of  Lexington,  ......  .  155 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Recruiting  at  Richmond,  ........  162 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Hospitals  of  the  Wounded  Prisoners,  .  .  .  .  .  .165 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
The  Prisons  at  Richmond,  .  ....  .  .  .  .169 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
A  Christmas  Eve,  .  .  .          '.  .  .  .  .        .    171 

*  CHAPITER  XXV. 

The  Battle  of  Belmont,        .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .176 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Battle  in  East  Tennessee.         .  .  .  .  .          .  .    igg 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Fort  Henry  and  Fort  Donelson,  .......  195 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
John  Morgan,  the  Guerilla  Chieftain,  .  ...  .          .    208 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Johnston  on  the  Tennessee  River— Floyd  and  Pillow,  .  214 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
The  Battle  of  Shiloh,  .......  .219 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

PAGB 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Surrender  of  Cape  Hatterae,          .......         233 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
Surrender  of  Koanoke  Island,  .......    235 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
General  Wise, 240 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
The  Battle  of  Newborn,  ........    251 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 
The  "  Merrimac  "  and  the  "  Monitor,"    ......         261 

CHAPTER  XXXVL 
Destruction  of  the  "  Merrimac,"         .......    269 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
Siege  of  Yorktown,  ...  .....         275 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
The  Battle  of  Fair  Oaks, 282 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

Battle  of  Seven  Pines,          ........         288 

CHAPTER  XL. 

Investment  of  Richmond,       ..  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    297 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLE  BEFOEE  RICHMOND  :  JUNE  26TH  TO  JULY  IST.  1862 

I.— A  Council  of  War,    ........         310 

II. — First  Day  :  Commencent  of  Operations,      .....    311 

III.— Second  Day  :  Battle  of  Gaines's  Mill,  .  .  .  .313 

IV.— Third  and  Fourth  Days  :  Battle  of  Peach  Orchard,        .  .  .318 

V.— Fifth  Day  :  Battle  near  White  Oak  Swamp,     ....         321 

VI.— Sixth  Day  :  Battle  at  Frazer's  Farm,         .  .  .  .  .323 

VII.— Seventh  Day  :  Battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  ....         327 

CONCLUDING  OBSERVATIONS,     .  .  .  .  .  .  .    330 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

General  P.  G.  Toussaint  Beauregard,       ......  335 

"      The  late  Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  ....  330 

"      Robert  Edmund  Lee,       .......  337 

"      Thomas  Jefferson  Jackson,  ......  337 

"       Sterling  Price,        ........  342 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

General  C.  Frederick  Henningeen,     .                      .....  342 

"  Joseph  Eccleston  Johnston,        ......  344 

"  Edmund  Kirby  Smith, 345 

"  Braxton  Bragg,       ........  345 

"  James  Longstreet,      ........  346 

"  G.  B.  M'Clellan, 347 

"  Francis  Sigel, 348 

11  Ambrose  Everett  Burneide, 349 

"  Don  Carlos  Buell, .  .349 

"  Henry  Wager  Halleck,    .......  850 

"  Ulysses  S.  Grant,        .          . ' 351 

"  John  Charles  Fremont, 351 


T.I  BKARlr 

VERSITY  OF 


CALIFORNIA. 

X— 


WAR    PICTURES 


CHAPTER    I. 

SECESSION   OP    SOUTH   CAROLINA. 

election  of  Mr.  Lincoln— Excitement  in  the  South— South  Carolina  secedes— Ma 
jor  Anderson  destroys  Fort  Moultrie— Resignation  of  Secretary  Floyd— Journey 
to  Charleston— Commotion  there— Fort  Sumter— President  Buchanan  rejects 
the  ultimatum— Major  Ripley,  commander  of  Fort  Moultrie— Warlike  prepara 
tions—General  Bragg— Uncle  Sam— Montgomery— Fort  Pickens— President 
Jeff.  Davis  and  Vice-President  Alex.  Stephens— Secession  of  the  States  of  Mis 
sissippi,  Alabama,  Florida,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  and  Texas — Peace  Congress  at 
"Washington— Complete  rupture— Lincoln's  installation  at  Washington— Danger 
of  the  city — The  new  Cabinet — Bombardment  of  Fort  Snmter — Sham  Fighting 
—Capitulation— President  Lincoln's  Declaration  of  War— Condition  of  the 
Confederacy — My  return  to  Richmond — Virginia  joins  the  Southern  States. 

As  SOON  as  the  election  to  the  Presidency  of  the  Republican 
candidate,  Abraham  Lincoln,  became  known,  the   South  at 
once  made  preparations  to  dissolve  the  Union,  urged  thereto 
by  the  conviction  that  henceforth  it  had  no  guarantees  or 
safeguard  for  the  preservation  of  its  rights.     SOUTH  CAROLI 
NA,  the  mother  of  the  Southern  States,  took  the  initiative  in 
this  movement,  with  but  little  foresight,  however,  and  with 
very  inadequate  preparations  for  an  effort  of  such  magnitude 
but  it  had  resolved  to  take  up  the  gauntlet  which  it  conceived 
had  been  thrown  down  by  the  North  in  the  election  of  Lin 
coin;  and,  on  the  20th  December,  1860,  proceeded  to  declare 
itself  an  independent  sovereign  State. 
1 


2  WAR  PICTURES. 

Patriots  now  poured  in  on  all  sides,  eager  to  support  the 
young  Government,  not  only  by  their  countenance  and  coun 
sel,  but  by  deeds,  if  needful. 

Major  Anderson,  of  the  United  States  army,  who  was  in 
command  of  Fort  Moultrie,  one  of  the  strongholds  of  Charles 
ton,  evacuated  that  post,  after  burning  all  the  Government 
stores,  spiking  the  guns,  and  destroying  everything  he  could ; 
and  embarked,  on  the  20th  December,  with  his  detachment 
of  132  men  of  the  United  States  army,  to  take  possession  of 
Fort  Sumter,  erected  on  an  islet  in  the  middle  of  the  bay. 
This  place  offered  him  greater  security  ;  and  within  its  bomb 
proof  walls  he  would  be  able  quietly  to  watch  the  progress 
of  coming  events. 

The  indignation  of  the  inhabitants  of  Charleston  was  in 
tense  when  the  flames  arising  from  Fort  Moultrie  made  them 
aware  of  its  abandonment  and  demolition  by  its  late  com 
mander.  A  number  of  steamers  were  prepared  in  all  haste, 
and  ordered,  with  various  companies  of  State  troops,  to  take 
possession  of  both  Fort  Moultrie  and  Fort  Pinckney  ;  which 
double  occupation  was  effected  without  bloodshed,  the  small 
garrison  of  the  former  having  already  been  withdrawn  to 
Fort  Sumter. 

On  the  30th  December,  Mr.  J.  B.  Floyd,  the  United  States 
Secretary  of  War,  notified  to  President  Buchanan  his  with 
drawal  from  the  Cabinet ;  and,  leaving  his  office  in  the  greatest 
confusion,  hastily  left  Washington  for  his  estates  in  Virginia. 
The  secession  of  South  Carolina  from  the  Union,  however,  did 
not  disturb  the  equanimity  of  the  North,  as  the  people  of 
that  portion  of  the  United  States  were  firmly  convinced  that 
the  Government  could  easily  put  down  the  rebellion.  But 
the  events  which  occurred  shortly  after,  apprized  the  North 
that  the  Southerners  were  not  unprovided  with  ways  and 
means  to  begin  a  war,  and  that  in  the  coming  struggle  they 
would  prove  anything  but  despicable  opponents. 

Thus  the  first  signal  step  toward  disunion  was  taken  ;  to 


CHARLESTON.  8 

what  it  might  lead,  no  one  could  then  foresee,  especially  as 
the  first  hasty  and  somewhat  imperfect  preparations  did  not 
imply  any  very  extensive  plan  of  operations.  Popular  pas 
sions  were  violently  aroused  ;  but  who  could  have  guessed  in 
those  dawning  symptoms  of  strife  the  disastrous  consequences 
of  a  fratricidal  war,  which  was  destined  to  overwhelm  alike 
friend  and  foe,  and  to  undermine  the  prosperity  and  wealth 
of  the  whole  community  ? 

Scarcely  had  South  Carolina  seceded  from  the  Union, 
when  I  received  a  commission  from  two  of  the  most  influen 
tial  Southern  leaders,  with  directions  for  me  to  proceed  at 
once  to  South  Carolina  to  superintend  the  military  prepara 
tions  going  on  there,  and  the  arrangements  for  bombarding 
Fort  Sumter,  where  Major  Anderson  had  taken  up  his  posi 
tion,  and  where,  under  the  banner  of  the  Great  Republic,  it 
was  expected  he  could  hold  out  to  the  last  extremity.  My 
arrangements  for  departure  were  speedily  made,  and  I  was 
ready  to  start  on  my  knight-errant's  mission.  On  quitting 
Richmond,  the  dreary  morasses  and  monotonous  rice,  cotton, 
and  tobacco  fields  of  Virginia  and  of  North  and  South  Caro 
lina  were  quickly  passed ;  for  the  railway  runs  in  a  contin 
uous  line  through  this  unpicturesque  portion  of  the  South. 
After  a  twenty-five  hours'  journey,  the  train  came  to  a  stand 
still,  and  the  voices  of  the  guards  announced  to  the  drowsy 
passengers  the  welcome  news  that  we  were  at  Charleston. 
All  was  now  life  and  bustle ;  we  had  arrived  at  the  theatre 
of  impending  war. 

An  omnibus  took  me  quickly  to  Mills'  Hotel,  the  best  in 
Charleston,  and  far  surpassing  those  of  Richmond.  After  I 
had  made  myself  presentable,  I  proceeded  to  the  dining  room 
to  restore  my  somewhat  wearied  faculties.  Here  I  found  at 
the  well-supplied  table  a  host  of  Southern  cavaliers,  who 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  good  things  before  them  with  considera 
ble  gusto.  The  events  of  the  day  were  loudly  discussed 
among  them,  and  strong  words  uttered  against  the  Govern- 


4  WAR    PICTURES. 

rnent  at  Washington.  Several  of  these  gentlemen  had  al 
ready  donned  brilliant  uniforms ;  and  as  they  clanked  theii 
spurs,  rattled  their  swords,  and  made  dashing  inroads  upon 
the  viands  before  them,  I  could  hardly  fail  to  be  impressed  by 
such  evidences  of  chivalrous  courage. 

As  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  I  hastened  to  deliver  my  des 
patches  to  his  Excellency  Mr.  Pickens,  Governor  of  the  State 
of  South  Carolina.  In  him  I  found  a  perfect  gentleman,  full 
of  amiability  and  courtesy ;  and  on  my  applying  to  him  for 
the  necessary  information  to  guide  me  in  my  endeavors  to  as 
certain  the  military  resources  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina, 
he  ordered  one  of  his  numerous  adjutants  to  attend  me,  be 
sides  directing  that  I  should  be  provided  with  horses  and  a 
negro  servant.  Captain  Nelson,  the  officer  in  question,  at 
once  tendered  his  services  with  that  urbanity  peculiar  to  the 
planters  of  the  South ;  and,  much  pleased  with  my  reception, 
I  left  the  Governor's  headquarters  to  pay  my  respects  to  the 
Hon.  William  Porcher  Miles.  After  passing  through  some 
of  the  principal  streets,  we  came  in  view  of  the  Bay  of 
Charleston.  The  sight  which  now  burst  upon  me  was  so  en 
chanting  that  I  stood  on  the  shores  of  the  bay  gazing  with  de 
light  upon  the  noble  spectacle  before  me.  It  was  one  of  those 
glorious  visions  of  beauty  which,  once  seen,  can  never  be  for 
gotten.  The  magnificent  deep-blue  waters  of  the  bay  lay 
slumbering  before  me,  and  from  out  their  midst  arose  the  un 
sightly,  dingy  walls  of  Fort  Sumter,  with  its  formidable- 
looking  guns  and  casemates;  whilst  a  gentle  south  wind 
caused  the  majestic  flag  raised  in  the  centre  of  the  fort  to  give 
its  ample  folds  to  the  breeze,  displaying  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
to  the  many  thousand  citizens  of  Charleston  assembled  on  the 
beach. 

There,  in  the  middle  of  the  bay,  within  that  unseemly  mass 
of  dark-looking  rock,  was  housed  a  small  band,  all,  no  doubt, 
trusty  sons  of  that  great  Republic  whose  banner  seemed  to 
intimate  unmistakably  to  the  crowd  of  Southern  loungers  on 


CHARLESTON.  5 

the  opposite  shore  their  resolve  either  to  maintain  the  post 
entrusted  to  their  keeping,  or  to  die  as  brave  soldiers  in  the 
performance  of  their  duty.  On  the  left  side  of  the  bay  stood 
Port  Moultrie,  from  the  battlements  of  which  was  displayed 
the  banner  of  the  Southerners — the  Palmetto — which  the 
people  glanced  at  with  eyes  beaming  with  proud  satisfaction. 

I  tore  myself  away  reluctantly  from  the  spot,  and  in 
company  of  the  officer  appointed  to  escort  me,  I  proceeded 
to  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  William  Porcher  Miles.  This 
gentleman  gave  me  a  hearty  welcome,  accompanied  with  re 
peated  offers  of  service.  After  a  long  visit,  I  and  my  com 
panion  took  leave  of  him,  and  proceeded  to  the  hotel,  in-  the 
saloon  of  which  we  remained  but  a  short  time  before  retiring 
to  rest.  I  had  not,  however,  been  long  asleep,  when  I  was 
aroused  by  a  violent  ringing  of  bells,  and  by  the  prolonged 
blast  of  trumpets.  On  hastening  down  stairs  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  this  turmoil,  I  found  unmistakable  signs  of  military 
activity  all  around  me,  reminding  me  of  scenes  I  had  wit 
nessed  in  Italy  in  the  year  1848.  Halls  and  stairs  resounded 
to  the  clank  of  spurs  and  swords — music  familiar  to  the  ear 
of  an  old  soldier ;  and  in  the  great  room  below  were  crowded 
together  military  men  of  every  description — grenadiers,  hus 
sars,  and  others ;  whilst  a  corps  of  cadets  had  mounted  guard 
in  front  of  the  hotel.  Moreover,  troops  of  all  arms  were 
marching  past,  and  artillery  rattled  heavily  through  the 
streets. 

Captain  Nelson  shortly  made  his  appearance,  and  with  a 
beaming  countenance  informed  me  that  orders  had  just  been 
received  for  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter.  President 
Buchanan  had,  in  fact,  rejected  the  ultimatum  of  South  Caro 
lina  :  namely,  the  withdrawal  of  the  United  States  troops 
from  Fort  Sumter;  arid  the  plenipotentiaries  had  returned 
with  this  virtual  declaration  of  war  on  the  part  of  the  Presi 
dent.  All  the  impediments  that  had  hitherto  restrained  the 
impatient  Southerners  from  giving  full  scope  to  their  courage, 


O  WAR    PICTURES. 

vanished  as  the  barriers  which  had  hitherto  existed  between 
the  belligerents  were  removed.  Some  hundred  officers  were 
soon  assembled  in  the  dining  hall,  and  the  hubbub  received 
additional  stimulus  from  the  incessant  drawing  of  champagne 
corks,  while  all  present  seemed  animated  with  martial  ardor. 
In  a  short  time  Captain  Nelson  arrived,  with  horses  and  ser 
vants,  and  we  set  out  for  Fort  Moultrie,  where  Major  Ripley, 
formerly  an  officer  of  the  regular  United  States  army,  held 
the  command,  and  where  the  ball  was  to  commence.  My 
charger  was  a  quiet  old  nag,  which  never  in  its  life  had  faced 
such  an  excited  crowd  as  that  now  surging  hither  and  thither. 
Poor  fellow,  after  having  for  a  long  course  of  years  quietly 
munched  his  oats  and  hay  in  peaceful  security,  it  was  now  his 
fate  to  smell  gunpowder  all  at  once,  and  prove  his  nerve 
amidst  the  thunder  of  cannon.  As  if  he  had  some  foreboding 
of  what  was  to  happen,  he  pricked  up  his  ears  and  cast  shy 
glances  at  the  military  life  teeming  around  us.  Nevertheless, 
without  needing  the  admonition  of  spur  or  rein,  he  readily 
carried  me  up  the  heights  which  led  to  Fort  Moultrie. 

It  was  a  charming  day.  The  sun  shone,  mild  and  smiling, 
upon  the  deep-blue  waters  of  the  lovely  bay.  The  green 
hills  on  the  shore  were  reflected  in  the  crystal  mirror  below, 
and  all  nature  seemed  so  happy  and  peaceful  as  to  present  to 
the  mind  a  strange  contrast  to  the  spirit  of  discontent  and 
warlike  strife  which  then  brooded  in  the  breast  of  man. 
Leaving  our  horses,  we  went  on  board  a  steamer,  which  con 
veyed  us  to  the  fort. 

Through  my  excellent  Vogtlander  telescope  I  saw  many 
indications  of  great  military  activity  in  Fort  Sumter ;  guns 
were  being  brought  into  position,  and  new  works  thrown  up 
in  front  of  the  fort ;  in  short,  it  was  quite  clear  to  my  mind 
that  Major  Anderson  was  not  only  determined  to  show  us  his 
teeth,  but  to  bite  hard  if  necessary.  I  handed  my  glass  to  my 
friend  the  Captain,  who  was  standing  near  me,  drawing  his 
attention  to  the  preparations  in  active  progress  then  making 


FORT   MOULTEIE.  7 

by  the  commandant  of  Fort  Sumter ;  observing  that  so  old  a 
fox  as  Anderson  would  hardly  fail  to  receive  such  a  distin 
guished  party  as  ourselves  with  all  due  courtesy  and  attention. 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?  the  confounded  fellow  is 
surely  not  going  to  fire  at  us  1 "  anxiously  inquired  my  heroic 
companion,  while  his  face  became  remarkably  pallid,  and  his 
well-waxed  mustache  lost  considerably  in  its  warlike  appear 
ance. 

"  Believe  me,  Captain,"  I  rejoined,  "  that  all  those  prepar- 
tions  he  is  so  busily  engaged  in  making  mean  mischief,  and 
denote  his  intention  to  make  good  use  of  his  formidable 
guns." 

At  these  words  a  slight  shiver  pervaded  my  companion's 
frame,  and  pleading  sickness,  he  retired  in  a  state  of  trepida 
tion,  to  find  a  place  of  greater  security  behind  the  bulwarks 
of  the  steamer.  The  other  bold  sons  of  Mars  who  had 
accompanied  me  from  Charleston,  now  all  gathered  around, 
and  pressed  me  to  give  them  some  account  of  my  former 
military  adventures  under  similar  circumstances,  which  re 
quest  1  readily  complied  with. 

In  the  midst  of  my  narrative  the  captain  of  the  steamer 
shouted  out,  "Fort  Moul trie,  gentlemen! "  and  we  all  pre 
pared  to  leave  the  vessel.  On  landing,  we  were  warmly  wel 
comed  by  a  number  of  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  garrison, 
assembled  at  the  landing  place,  and  we  then  proceeded  without 
delay  to  the  interior  of  the  fort,  where  we  found  the  com 
mander,  Major  Ripley,  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  negroes 
busy  at  work.  As  soon  as  I  made  myself  known  to  the 
Major,  he  begged  me  to  excuse  him  for  a  few  moments,  as  he 
was  anxious  to  give  his  final  orders  in  person.  It  was  evident 
to  me  at  a  glance  that  vigorous  warlike  measures  were  in  ac 
tive  preparation  in  the  fort.  Guns  of  every  calibre  were 
being  placed  in  position  ;  furnaces  to  heat  the  shot  were  get 
ting  ready  for  use ;  ammunition  was  being  brought  to  the 
different  batteries,  and  shot  and  shell  of  all  sizes  piled  up  in 


8  WAR    PICTURES. 

symmetrical  pyramids.  A  portion  of  the  garrison  was  like 
wise  under  arms,  in  readiness  for  immediate  service,  if  re 
quired  ;  indeed,  the  whole  scene  convinced  me  that  the  officer 
in  command  was  an  excellent  soldier,  notwithstanding  a  few 
slight  mistakes  that  I  could  not  fail  to  notice,  which  showed 
that  his  work  had  come  upon  him  rather  suddenly,  and  that 
this  was,  in  all  probability,  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  had 
been  on  active  service.  For  instance,  the  defensive  works  of 
the  fort  were  of  too  weak  a  construction  to  offer  any  effectual 
resistance  to  the  heavy  guns  of  a  bomb-proof  fort  like  that  of 
Sumter.  A  well-directed  bombardment  from  its  formidable 
batteries,  by  skilful  and  experienced  gunners,  would  have 
knocked  Fort  Moultrie  to  pieces  in  a  dozen  hours. 

One  of  the  chief  departments,  moreover,  that  of  the  hos 
pital,  had  been  very  badly  provided  for.  There  were  no  sur 
geons  present,  with  their  assistants,  provided  with  instruments, 
bandages,  ambulances,  and  other  needful  appliances,  ready  for 
instant  attention  to  such  casualties  as  might  occur.  There 
was  an  utter  absence  of  the  usual  hospital  details  on  the  eve 
of  hostile  operations :  no  surgeons  with  sleeves  tucked  up, 
ready  for  their  grave  work,  giving  directions  to  their  assist 
ants,  pointing  out  where  and  how  their  services  might  be  re 
quired  and  turned  to  the  best  account.  Nothing  of  the  kind 
was  visible,  although  such  precautions  were  obviously  of  vital 
importance  to  the  soldier  about  to  confront  a  determined  foe. 
The  good-natured  doctors  in  Fort  Moultrie  were  strolling 
about  the  works  in  fine  uniforms,  as  if  it  was  an  understood 
thing  that  there  would  be  no  wounded,  and  consequently  no 
work  for  them  to  do. 

As  soon  as  I  had  made  this  inspection,  which  brought  a 
smile  to  my  lips  more  than  once,  I  went  into  the  inner  court, 
where  Captain  Nelson  imparted  the  very  important  news  that 
Major  Ripley  was  awaiting  me  with  a  capital  bowl  of  punch. 
On  taking  the  seat  politely  offered  to  me,  I  found  the  worthy 
commander  of  the  fort  sitting,  like  Bacchus,  on  an  upturned 


MAJOR  EIPLET.  9 

barrel.  His  officers  lay  around  him  in  picturesque  groups, 
smoking  their  cigars,  and  eagerly  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
punch,  which  was  being  brewed  by  a  young  cavalry  lieutenant. 
I  was  most  enthusiastically  welcomed  by  Major  Eipley  and 
his  officers,  as  I  was  almost  the  only  European  officer  serving 
under  their  flag.  We  made  ourselves  as  comfortable  as  we 
could  upon  the  bales  of  cotton  placed  for  our  accommodation, 
whilst  a  host  of  slaves  handed  round  the  punch,  together  with 
excellent  Havana  cigars.  The  glasses  went  merrily  round, 
and  many  toasts  were  drunk  to  the  success  of  the  Palmetto 
State.  It  was  one  of  those  martial  orgies  which  only  the  hot- 
blooded  Southerner  can  fully  appreciate  and  enjoy.  We  were 
presently  interrupted,  however,  in  our  unflinching  attack  upon 
the  punch  bowl,  by  the  sentry  on  duty,  who  conducted  an 
orderly  from  the  Governor  in  charge  of  despatches  for  the 
commander  of  the  fort.  A  dead  silence  now  ensued,  and  all 
eyes  were  turned  inquiringly  toward  Major  Eipley.  As 
soon  as  this  officer  had  read  the  despatch  he  dismissed  the 
orderly,  thrust  the  papers  into  his  pocket,  and  telling  a  young, 
active,  woolly-headed  negro  to  hand  him  a  glass  of  punch,  he 
thus  addressed  his  companions  in  arms,  who  were  waiting  for 
intelligence  in  eager  expectation  : 

"  Gentlemen,  fill  your  glasses  !  As  regards  the  bombard 
ment  of  Fort  Sumter,  it  is  all  over  for  the  present."  (Great 
astonishment  now  manifested.)  "  I  am  to  proceed  at  once  to 
the  headquarters  of  his  Excellency,"  he  continued  ;  and  then, 
raising  his  glass,  he  proposed  a  cheer  for  the  Palmetto  Ee- 
public  and  its  brave  sons.  This  was  responded  to  by  a  round 
of  cheers  from  the  officers  present,  in  which  the  garrison  out 
side  promptly  joined.  This  scene,  I  confess,  made  me  look  at 
the  Palmetto  banner  with  thoughts  of  a  rather  serious  nature. 

Major  Eipley  then  turned  to  Captain  Lamb,  and  handed 
over  to  him  the  command  for  the  day,  while  I  and  my  com- 
panion  started  forthwith  on  our  return  to  Charleston.  On 
arriving  there  we  proceeded  to  the  headquarters  of  the 


10  WAK    PICTURES. 

Governor,  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  revocation  of  the 
previous  orders.  All  the  leading  men  of  the  State  of  South 
Carolina  were  assembled  there. 

We  learned  that  after  a  lengthy  debate  it  had  been  re 
solved  to  abstain  from  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter,  and 
that  endeavors  should  be  made  to  induce  Major  Anderson,  by 
diplomatic  means,  either  to  evacuate  the  fort  or  to  capitulate. 

Major  Ripley,  Captain  Nelson,  and  myself  then  adjourned 
to  my  hotel,  to  recruit  ourselves  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 
On  our  entrance,  however,  one  of  the  numerous  waiters  of  the 
hotel  handed  me  a  despatch  from  Virginia,  ordering  me  to 
start  without  delay,  after  my  inspection  was  over,  for  General 
Bragg's  headquarters  in  the  State  of  Florida,  in  order  to 
report  upon  the  state  of  things  there,  General  Bragg  having 
already  received  orders  to  take  Fort  Pickens,  which  was  held 
by  the  troops  and  fleet  of  the  United  States. 

I  was  soon  ready  to  commence  my  journey  to  Florida  and 
Alabama,  and  took  a  hearty  farewell  of  my  comrades,  whom 
I  had  learned  to  like  during  our  short  acquaintance;  they 
made  me  promise  that,  should  the  bombardment  of  Fort 
Sumter  actually  take  place,  and  I  should  receive  information 
of  the  fact  by  telegraph,  I  would  immediately  return  to  be 
a  witness  of  the  valor  and  efficiency  of  the  troops  of  South 
Carolina.  We  shook  hands  all  round ;  and,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Nelson,  I  proceeded  to  the  railway. 

Here  I  found  my  black  servant,  good  old  Uncle  Sam,  who, 
with  his  woolly  head,  came  to  me  with  a  melancholy  look, 
saying :  "  Massa  Cornel  take  old  Sam  with  him.  Understand 
horses.  Onkel  Sam  kill  all  mosquitos."  I  was  really  touched 
by  the  poor  fellow's  earnest  entreaties  as  he  chronicled  all  his 
good  qualities,  in  the  hopes  of  making  a  favorable  impression 
upon  me ;  so,  shaking  the  old  man's  hand,  I  comforted  him  at 
once  by  telling  him  that  he  might  come  with  me.  He  now 
gave  vent  to  that  unconstrained  outburst  of  joy  so  character 
istic  of  the  negro  race  when  any  one  of  their  wishes  is  gratified. 


MY   NIGGER    "  UNCLE    SAM."  11 

Pushing  aside  a  young  ebon-skinned  negro  who  was  standing 
near,  gaping  at  us  with  open  mouth  and  staring  eyes,  Uncle 
Sam  exclaimed,  in  utter  forgetfulness  of  his  own  coal-black 
hue,  "  Get  out  of  the  road,  you  dam  black  nigger ;  make  place 
whar  Cornel  comes  ! "  accompanying  his  words  with  a  look 
of  magisterial  authority. 

I  requested  Captain  Nelson  to  allow  me  to  take  Uncle  Sam 
with  me  as  my  servant,  which  he  readily  assented  to.  As  the 
train  did  not  start  immediately,  I  sat  down  in  the  waiting 
room  to  read  the  newspapers.  At  last,  when  the  signal  for 
departure  was  given,  Uncle  Sam  made  his  appearance,  but 
completely  metamorphosed.  A  pair  of  very  scanty  light-blue 
trousers  encompassed  his  huge  nether  limbs ;  a  light-yellow 
waistcoat  brought  his  powerful  chest  into  high  relief;  whilst 
a  grass-green  frock  coat,  adorned  with  gilt  buttons,  a  black 
broad-brimmed  hat — which  also  did  the  duty  of  an  umbrella ; 
a  shirt  collar — the  ends  of  which  nearly  touched  his  eyes — 
and  a  Patagonian  pair  of  boots  none  too  big  for  his  elephantine 
feet,  completed  his  costume,  of  which  he  seemed  ineffably 
proud.  Uncle  Sam,  who  evidently  fancied  himself  irresistible 
in  his  new  and  rather  "  loud  51  style  of  dress,  handed  me  with 
great  dignity  into  one  of  the  carriages,  and  then  went  to  look 
after  my  luggage.  He  tramped  along  the  station  with  that 
air  of  importance  which  negroes  are  so  fond  of  assuming  when 
they  fancy  their  master  to  be  a  man  of  consideration. 

When  we  were  just  about  to  start,  Uncle  Sam  took  good 
care  to  display  himself  in  all  his  bravery  on  the  platform  of 
the  carriage,  that  he  might  gladden  the  eyes  of  his  admiring 
brethren,  numbers  of  whom,  hearing  of  his  departure,  had 
assembled  to  see  him  off.  "  Good-by,  Bell ;  don't  forget 
me,"  he  shouted  out  to  a  thick-lipped,  ugly  negress,  as  she 
handed  up  some  fruit.  "  Bob,  don't  forget  you  owe  me  ten 
cents."  '"  Tim,  my  compliments  to  your  lady.  Onkel  Sam 
is  going  to  the  wars,  and  kill  many  Yankees.  Massa  Cornel 
hab  swords.  Good-by,  good-by ; "  and  thus  he  took  leave, 
perhaps  forever,  of  his  sable  acquaintances. 


12  WAR    PICTURES. 

My  new  journey  was  just  as  monotonous  as  that  from 
Richmond  to  Charleston.  In  Augusta,  in  the  State  of  Georgia, 

I  made  a  halt  to  have  an  interview  with  the  Hon.  Mr.  K , 

to  whom  I  had  letters  of  introduction.  I  found  this  gentleman 
a  devoted  patriot  of  the  great  Republic.  He  shook  his  head 
sadly  at  the  startling  events  in  the  Southern  States,  and  em 
phatically  condemned  the  inconsiderate,  hasty  action  of  the 
State  of  South  Carolina,  as  likely  to  lead  the  country  to  ruin. 
On  my  observing  to  him  that  the  whole  of  the  Southern 
newspapers  approved  of  the  conduct  of  South  Carolina,  not  a 
single  dissentient  voice  having  been  raised  against  it,  he  re 
plied,  "  Yes,  yes,  the  newspapers  join  in  this  wolfish  howl ; 
but  ask  the  people,  appeal  to  the  inhabitants  of  Georgia,  and 
I  will  stake  my  head  that  four  fifths  of  the  population  are  in 
favor  of  the  Union,  and  opposed  to  a  separation  from  it. 
And  this  is  not  only  the  case  here,"  he  continued,  "but  you 
will  find  it  to  be  the  same  in  Alabama,  North  Carolina,  and 
Virginia.  But  that  portion  of  the  community  which  has  long 
been  waiting  for  a  pretext  to  get  up  this  revolution  has  found 
an  opportunity  for  commencing  their  odious  game  in  the  elec 
tion  of  the  Republican  candidate,  Abraham  Lincoln." 

I  took  a  cordial  leave  of  this  worthy  man  and  patriotic 
citizen,  and  continued  my  journey  to  Montgomery. 

Some  of  the  reflections  I  had  just  heard,  I  could  not  help 
fancying  had  already  flashed  across  my  own  mind.  It  was  in 
telligible  enough  that  a  factious  party,  actuated  by  ambition 
and  restless  discontent,  with  the  press  at  their  command, 
should  persistently  preach  disunion,  hoping  by  the  overthrow 
of  the  existing  state  of  things  to  bring  about  the  accomplish 
ment  of  their  designs.  I  could  not  forget  how  majestic  had 
been  the  growth  of  the  Union,  that  vigorous  plant  which  had 
been  developed  in  such  strength  and  power  as  to  command 
the  admiration  of  the  civilized  world.  Each  State  was  a 
glorious  stem  of  this  noble  tree,  and  each  leaf  bore  the  words, 
Law,  Liberty,  Prosperity,  Concord !  These  four  elements  of 


MONTGOMERY.  13 

its  flourishing  condition  were  individually  and  collectively  es 
sential  to  its  further  development :  a  truth  felt  and  cherished 
by  the  smallest  member  of  the  least  part  of  this  colossal 
Union.  Why,  then,  were  not  the  noxious  insects  at  once 
crushed  which  had  crept  into  the  calyx  of  so  fair  a  flower  in 
order  to  destroy  it  1  Why  was  not  every  rotten  leaf  at  once 
cut  off  that  threatened  to  poison  the  sap  of  the  whole  plant  1 

But  who  could  have  then  dreamt  that  the  small  snowball 
moulded  by  the  hand  of  discord  would  become  ere  long  a 
mighty  avalanche,  increasing  as  it  rolled  on  ;  would,  in  its  de 
structive  career,  overwhelm  thousands  of  the  homesteads  of 
peace  ? 

MONTGOMERY,  in  the  State  of  Alabama,  was  selected  by 
the  revolutionary  party  as  the  place  best  suited  to  concoct 
their  schemes,  and  to  lay  out  their  plans  in  undisturbed  se 
curity.  On  my  arrival  in  this  small  town  I  found  the  great 
est  excitement  and  flurry  prevalent  amongst  the  citizens,  who 
had  assembled  together  by  thousands.  With  some  difficulty 
I  procured  a  lodging  for  myself  and  Uncle  Sam,  and  then 
hastened  to  the  Capitol,  where  I  had  a  short  interview  with 
some  of  the  members  of  the  Southern  Convention,  which  was 
then  holding  a  sitting.  Without  allowing  myself  any  further 
respite^  I  proceeded  at  daybreak  next  morning  to  the  seat  of 
war  in  Florida,  to  investigate  the  state  of  affairs  there. 

At  PENSACOLA,  a  miserable  little  town  on  the  Mexican 
Gulf,  in  a  sandy  plain  where  yellow  fever  and  alligators  had 
it  all  their  own  way,  was  posted  the  army  of  the  famous 
General  Bragg,  who,  from  this  point,  commenced  operations 
to  storm  FORT  PICKENS,  situated  in  the  middle  of  the  bay, 
which  post  was  then  covered  and  defended  by  a  United 
States'  squadron  and  a  small  body  of  troops.  Hitherto 
General  Bragg  had  done  nothing  except  to  concoct  and  issue 
forth  his  pompous  reports  to  the  world.  The  impression  he 
made  upon  me  was  precisely  that  of  a  strolling  acrobat  stand 
ing  outside  his  booth,  announcing  the  wonderful  things  that 


14  WAR    PICTURES. 

were  to  be  seen  within.  It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that 
his  reports  and  bulletins  were  calculated  to  produce  a  telling 
effect  in  exciting  the  masses.  Here  is  a  specimen  of  the  style 
of  these  precious  effusions  :  "  Prepare  your  cannon  to  destroy 
the  world  !  I  will  disperse  the  dogs  to  the  four  winds  !  Not 
one  stone  of  the  fort  shall  remain  upon  another  !  " 

In  short,  by  such  laconic  proclamations  he  successfully 
courted  the  approval  of  the  multitude,  who  began  to  fancy 
that  Bragg  was  the  only  general  in  the  world  worth  having — 
a  second  Alexander  the  Great.  Indeed,  if  big  words  sufficed 
to  make  heroes,  there  would  be  no  lack  of  supply  in  America ; 
but  as  a  makeweight  they  have  happily  a  local  proverb 
which  teaches  them  that  "  Words  are  not  cents  !  " 

Bragg  would  not  allow  me  to  open  my  lips,  but,,  in  wild 
excitement,  at  once  launched  forth  a  vainglorious  boast,  that 
in  less  than  four  weeks  he  would  capture  Fort  Pickens,  put 
the  garrison  to  the  sword,  and  blow  it  in  the  air.  "  All  this 
is  very  well,  General,"  I  quietly  observed  ;  "  but  what  meas 
ures  have  you  taken  to  carry  out  this  great  plan  ?  "  On  this 
point,  however,  the  gallant  General  declined  to  enter  into  any 
explanations ;  it  was  his  wish,  he  said  (pulling  up  his  shirt 
collar  at  the  same  time,  as  if  to  give  weight  to  his  words),  to 
astonish  the  public  by  his  success.  After  this  rather  unsatis 
factory  interview,  I  proceeded  along  the  shores  of  the  bay  to 
inspect  his  camp  and  the  condition  of  his  army.  The  defen 
sive  works  were  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  and  constructed 
\vith  a  carelessness  which  might  have  led  to  the  supposition 
that  we  were  in  a  state  of  peace,  had  it  not  been  that  a  hos 
tile  fort  opposite  stood  where  the  vigilant  activity  of  the  enemy 
was  evident  enough. 

The  sun's  rays  were  so  fierce  that  the  dry  sandy  soil 
glowed  with  scorching  heat.  I  therefore  ordered  a  horse,  and 
rode,  accompanied  by  General  Bragg's  first  adjutant,  Major 
Self,  through  the  camp.  Major  Self  was  a  good-humored 
cavalry  officer,  who  might  be  a  good  soldier  but  he  was 


SECESSION    OF    OTHER   STATES.  15 

rather  too  enthusiastic  an  admirer  of  GENERAL  BRAGG,  and 
was  never  tired  of  talking  about  the  great  things  which  the 
General  intended  to  do.  The  troops  assembled  here  consisted 
exclusively  of  volunteer  militia,  who  had  only  been  a  few 
weeks  in  the  service.  They  were  a  set  of  fine-looking  young 
men.  Camp  life  had  given  them  much  of  the  fantastical  ap 
pearance  of  the  French  troops  in  Algeria,  but  they  lacked 
their  light-hearted  good  humor  and  ready  wit ;  they  seemed, 
at  any  rate,  greatly  to  enjoy  their  military  life :  it  was  a  re 
lief  from  the  monotonous  routine  of  their  plantation  exist 
ence,  and  this  change  in  their  habits  seemed  to  be  not  at  all 
unpalatable  to  them.  I  had  only  been  a  few  days  in  the 
camp  when  the  news  arrived  that  the  Convention  at  Mont 
gomery  had  elected  JEFFERSON  DAVIS  as  President,  and  ALEX 
ANDER  H.  STEPHENS  as  Vice-President  of  the  Confederacy.  I 
took  a  hasty  farewell  of  General  Bragg  and  of  the  chief  of 
the  staff;  ordered  Sam  to  pack  up  my  things,  and  on  that 
same  evening  started  on  my  way  back  to  Montgomery. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  circumstances  of  the  South  had 
undergone  a  great  change.  After  the  secession  of  South  Car 
olina,  that  of  other  Southern  States  soon  followed.  Early  in 
January,  1861,  Mississippi,  Alabama,  and  Florida  seceded 
from  the  Union,  and  at  the  end  of  the  same  month  Georgia 
and  Louisiana  did  the  same.  Texas  seceded  in  February.  So 
that  in  less  than  three  months  after  the  election  of  President 
Lincoln  all  the  cotton  States  had  separated  from  the  Union, 
taking,  moreover,  at  the  same  time,  the  precaution  to  seize 
all  State  property,  with  the  exception  of  the  forts  in  Charles 
ton  Bay  and  Fort  Pickens  in  Florida,  which  were  held  by  the 
troops  of  the  United  States,  who  did  not  show  the  least  incli 
nation  to  give  them  up  at  the  first  bidding. 

At  the  end  of  January  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of 
Virginia  proposed  a  Peace  Congress,  to  avert,  if  possible,  the 
calamity  of  a  civil  war.  This  Congress  actually  met  on  the 
9th  of  February  at  Washington,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 


16  WAK    PICTURES. 

counsel  to  devise  friendly  and  conciliatory  measures  calculated 
to  quench  the  smouldering  sparks  of  revolution,  and  Mr. 
Tyler,  a  former  President  of  the  United  States,  was  elected  to 
r  'preside  ;  but  after  a  few  days'  sitting  the  Congress  broke  up, 
as  it  was  found  impracticable  to  come  to  any  understanding. 
The  seceding  States  thereupon  organized  a  Government  of 
their  own,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of  the  future  Confede- 


The  delegates  of  the  six  seceding  States  met  at  Montgom 
ery,  and  there,  on  the  8th  of  February,  a  constitution  for  the 
Confederate  States  was  framed  and  adopted.  The  Congress 
then  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  President  and  Vice-Presi 
dent,  and  after  some  discussion,  JEFFERSON  DAVIS  was,  as 
already  stated,  elected  President,  and  ALEXANDER  H.  STEPHENS, 
of  Georgia,  Vice-President  of  the  Confederacy. 

I  looked  forward  with  no  little  interest  for  the  arrival  of 
President  Davis,  who,  I  learned,  was,  on  the  news  of  his 
election,  hastening  to  Montgomery  to  assume  the  functions  of 
his  office.  On  the  19th  February  he  made  his  solemn  en 
trance  into  that  town  amidst  the  ringing  of  bells  and  the  roar 
of  cannon.  Followed  by  a  host  of  office  hunters,  he  found  a 
still  greater  number  of  the  same  gentry  awaiting  his  arrival. 
The  22d  February  was  the  day  fixed  upon  for  the  installation 
of  the  President.  The  ceremony  took  place  with  all  the  pomp 
that  was  possible,  under  the  circumstances.  Bells  pealed,  sa 
lutes  were  fired,  and  military  detachments  from  every  part 
of  the  Confederate  States  came  forward  to  take  a  share 
in  the  great  show.  But  the  whole  thing  was  done  in  such 
a  hurry  that  the  election,  arrival,  and  installation  of  the 
President  were  scarcely  made  public  before  they  were  ac- 
complished.  It  almost  seemed  as  if  there  had  been  a  pre 
vious  rehearsal,  so  rapid  was  the  performance.  On  the 
22d  February,  at  2  p.  M.,  the  Southern  States  possessed 
a  President  and  a  Cabinet,  and  the  people  stared  at  each 
other  in  amazement,  not  exactly  understanding  how  this 


JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 

- 

hasty  election  came  about.  A  candidate  for  the  Presi 
dency  had  arrived  in  the  night  without  the  people  knowing 
anything  about  it,  without  giving  the  citizens  time  to  vote 
for  or  against  him.  Some  politicians  naturally  took  advan 
tage  of  this  to  treat  the  citizens  of  this  free  country  as  serfs, 
and  the  latter,  silently  and  without  a  murmur,  put  up  with 
this  contemptuous  treatment  of  their  rights.  But  not  to 
allow  them  time  to  brood  over  their  wrongs,  the  Government 
immediately  took  measures  which  were  well  calculated  to 
completely  bewilder  them. 

[Forts  Moultrie  and  Pinckney  in  Charleston  Bay  were 
taken  possession  of,  as  we  have  seen,  as  also  were  Forts  Pu- 
laski,  Jackson,  and  Philip.  The  arsenals  at  Baton  Eouge  and 
Mount  Vernon,  the  Custom  House  at  New  Orleans,  and  the 
Mint  were  also  seized,  the  cash  found  there  confiscated,  and 
new  officials  appointed. 

At  this  period  the  court  of  the  newly  elevated  Jefferson 
Davis  was  thronged  by  all  those  who  had  contributed  in  the 
slightest  degree  to  rend  asunder  the  republic  of  the  United 
States.  It  seemed  as  if  from  every  part  of  the  land  the 
crows  had  flocked  together  to  share  in  the  anticipated  feast. 
The  ex-Secretary  of  War,  Floyd,  played  no  unimportant  part 
here,  as  also  a  certain  Mr.  Tochman,  formerly  of  the  New 
York  bar,  who  was  at  once  appointed  a  general  of  brigade. 
A  great  number  of  former  officials  in  the  United  States  ser 
vice,  both  civil  and  military,  joined  the  new  Confederacy. 
Many  of  these  gentleman  had  a  convenient  elasticity  of  con- 
t  science,  and  understood  perfectly  well  how  to  proclaim  their 
love  of  country  and  disinterested  conduct ;  while  the  Govern 
ment  which  comprised  within  itself  many  similar  elements, 
had  naturally  no  cause  to  disavow  this  outburst  of  patriotic 
feeling.  These  men  were,  accordingly,  received  with  open 
arms,  and  appointed  to  good  situations. 

Whilst  the  revolution  was  gradually  preparing  on  a  large 
scale  in  the  South,  the  Buchanan  Cabinet  at  Washington  dis- 


IS 


WAR    PICTURES. 


played  an  indifference  which  bordered  upon  insanity,  to  say 
the  best  of  it.  The  relief  of  Fort  Sumter,  for  instance,  \vhere 
Major  Anderson  was  shut  up  with  132  men,  was  then  appa 
rently  not  even  thought  of;  and  the  4th  March,  the  day  fixed 
for  the  installation  of  the  Republican  President,  Abraham 
Lincoln,  was  fast  approaching. 

To  reach  Washington,  Lincoln  had  so  many  obstacles  to 
overcome  on  the  way,  that  probably  some  men  in  a  similar 
position  would  have  turned  back ;  but  quietly  and  calmly  did 
this  simple,  clear-headed  man  pursue  the  course  he  had  laid 
down  for  himself;  and,  despite  all  hindrances,  not  dismayed 
even  at  the  pious  wishes  of  the  Southerners  that  he  might 
come  to  serious  grief  on  the  road,  he  arrived  safely  at  the 
capital  of  the  United  States. 

The  hour  for  his  installation  at  last  struck,  and  General 
Scott,  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States'  army,  received 
instructions  to  take  all  possible  precautions  to  put  down  any 
attempt  at  an  outbreak,  as  it  was  currently  reported  that  a 
great  demonstration  had  been  resolved  upon  by  the  many 
thousand  Southerners  who  had  assembled  on  the  occasion. 
The  old  General  displayed  the  greatest  activity  on  this  occa 
sion.  He  occupied  the  Capitol  with  regular  troops ;  he  or 
dered  the  by-roads  which  lead  into  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  the 
main  street  leading  from  the  President's  house  to  the  Capi 
tol,  to  be  closed ;  while  the  flat  roofs  of  the  houses  were  oc 
cupied  by  riflemen,  and  large  bodies  of  infantry  and  cavalry 
wrere  stationed  at  various  points,  ready  at  a  given  signal  to 
act  in  concert.  Cavalry  was  ordered  to  form  the  advanced 
and  rear  guards  of  the  Presidential  procession,  and  to  serve 
also  as  an  escort.  The  marine  brigade  in  the  port  was  like 
wise  ordered  to  be  ready  in  case  of  any  emergency. 

A  portentous  cloud  thus  hung  over  the  Capitol  of  the 
Union.  Had  a  single  unlucky  shot  been  fired,  the  city  of 
Washington  was  doomed  ;  for  General  Scott  was  not  the  man 
to  shrink  at  trifles,  and  would  certainly  have  cleared  the 


LINCOLN'S  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS.  19 

streets  with  grape  had  any  mad  attempt  been  made  to  oppose 
the  installation  of  the  President.  When  favorable  reports 
from  different  quarters  came  in  on  all  sides,  the  old  General, 
addressing  his  officers,  said  :  "  Thank  Heaven  that  I  was  not 
compelled  to  have  recourse  to  force,  for  in  that  case  it  would 
have  been  a  very  sad  business." 

Merry  peals  of  bells  and  the  roar  of  cannon  announced 
the  ceremony  of  the  installation.  Thousands  of  people  had 
arrived  from  all  parts  to  see  the  old  railsplitter  of  Illinois 
installed  in  one  of  the  highest  of  earthly  dignities,  and  I  too 
formed  one  of  the  curious  spectators.  The  procession  which 
left  the  White  House  was  headed  by  a  number  of  volunteers, 
detachments  of  military,  and  various  deputations  ;  then  came 
a  plain  carriage,  wherein  sat  the  ex-President  Buchanan,  and 
on  his  right,  his  successor,  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  President 
elect  appeared  pale  and  careworn  from  the  fatigue  and  excite 
ment  he  had  undergone,  and  he  cast  a  weary  and  cold  glance 
at  the  moving  mass  of  human  beings  at  each  side  of  the  pro 
cession.  Was  he  endeavoring  to  discover  his  Brutus  among 
them? 

Buchanan  sat  at  his  side  with  a  beaming  face ;  it  was  quite 
clear  he  was  delighted  at  being  relieved  from  the  duties  of  his 
responsible  position.  The  representatives  of  foreign  States 
followed  the  simple  carriage  of  the  President  in  magnificent 
equipages,  attended  by  the  whole  personnel  of  their  respective 
embassies  and  consulates,  in  their  official  costumes. 

President  Lincoln  made  his  inaugural  speech — a  serious 
and  dignified  oration — from  the  east  portico  of  the  Capitol. 
He  swore  solemnly  with  upraised  hand  that  he  would  observe 
and  defend  the  rights  and  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  that 
he  would  govern  in  such  wise  that  he  should  be  able  one  day 
to  render  a  good  account  of  his  acts  before  his  Supreme  Judge. 
He  declared  that  there  was  no  necessity  for  the  shedding  of 
blood,  or  to  have  recourse  to  force,  at  least  not  unless — and 
he  placed  great  emphasis  upon  that  word — the  insurgent  peo- 


20  WAR    PICTURES. 

pie  should  drive  the  Government  to  it.  He  further  declared 
that  he  should  make  use  of  the  power  intrusted  to  him  by  the 
majority  of  the  people  to  maintain  with  a  firm  hand,  under 
all  circumstances,  every  town  and  citadel  which  belonged  to 
the  Government. 

In  the  South,  President  Lincoln's  speech  was  looked  upon 
as  tantamount  to  a  declaration  of  war,  especially  when  it  was 
found  that  he  had  conferred  the  most  important  Government 
appointments  upon  the  most  determined  enemies  of  the  South. 
Thus  he  appointed — 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD,  Secretary  *of  State. 
SALMON  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Postmaster  General 
ANSON  BURLINGAME,  Minister  to  Austria. 
CASSIUS  M.  CLAY,  "     to  Russia. 

C.  SCHURZ,  "     to  Spain. 

J.  E.  HARVEY,  "     to  Portugal. 

CHARLES  FRANCIS  ADAMS,  "     to  England. 

In  the  Senate  of  Congress,  Charles  Sumner  was  appointed 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations ;  William 
P.  Fessenden,  Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee;  and 
Henry  Wilson  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Military 
Affairs.  Mr.  Douglas,  the  leader  of  that  portion  of  the 
Democratic  party  which  still  adhered  to  the  National  Gov 
ernment,  paid  great  court  to  the  President,  and  during  the 
installation  ceremony  held  his  hat  in  his  hand.  At  the  ball 
which  took  place  afterward  he  paid  the  greatest  attention  to 
the  President,  and  to  Mrs.  Lincoln.  Evil  tongues  spoke  dis 
paragingly  of  this,  and  attributed  his  conduct  to  interested 
motives  :  we  prefer  remaining  silent  on  the  subject. 

On  President's  Lincoln's  accession  to  the  Presidency  the 
condition  of  the  finances  was  far  from  discouraging.  In  fact, 
the  Government  found  itself  in  this  point  of  view  in  a  sufn- 


WARLIKE   PREPARATIONS.  21 

ciently  comfortable  position.  The  War  Department  alone; 
under  J.  B.  Floyd's  administration,  was  found  to  be  in  a 
state  of  great  disorder ;  the  head  of  that  department  having 
thought  the  moment  very  opportune  to  join  the  banner  of 
the  Confederacy  with  all  the  material  aid  he  could  bring  to 
them. 

Meantime,  the  Confederate  Government,  stumbling  from 
one  step  to  another,  burning  all  its  bridges  behind  it,  so  as  to 
prevent  any  possibility  of  a  reconciliation,  sent  Mr.  Crawford 
of  Georgia,  and  Mr.  Forsyth  of  Alabama,  as  delegates  to 
Washington  to  negotiate  the  withdrawal  of  the  United  States 
troops  from  Forts  Sumter  and  Pickens.  Moreover,  in  con 
sequence  of  the  separation  of  the  South  from  the  North,  they 
were  to  make  proposals  respecting  a  division  of  territory. 
Mr.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State,  declined,  however,  to  receive 
them  as  delegates  from  a  sovereign  State. 

Whilst  the  greater  portion  of  the  population  of  the  South 
anxiously  watched  the  course  of  events,  many  still  hoping  for 
a  peaceful  settlement,  I  had  long  given  up  all  such  hopes,  be 
lieving  that  the  men  who  took  the  lead  in  the  South  were  de 
termined  to  oppose  any  attempt  at  reconciliation.  Most  of K 
these  men,  it  appeared  to  me,  had  little  or  nothing  to  lose,  but 
hoped  to  gain  a  good  deal,  and,  consequently,  were  decidedly 
in  favor  of  forcible  separation.  As  soon  as  the  festivities  of 
the  installation  were  over,  I  started  for  Charleston. 

Military  committees  now  sat  daily  in  Washington,  under 
President  Lincoln,  to  concert  measures  for  sending  reinforce 
ments,  ammunition,  and  provisions  to  Fort  Sumter.  These 
sittings  lasted  for  nearly  a  fortnight,  without  any  important 
decision  having  been  adopted.  The  new  Secretary  of  War  at 
length  took  steps  to  be  prepared  for  any  eventuality.  The 
regular  troops  stationed  on  the  Southern  frontier  were  recalled 
to  Washington  ;  the  naval  squadrons  in  all  parts  of  the  world 
were  ordered  to  return  home,  with  the  exception  of  those  ves 
sels  whose  duty  it  was  to  protect  the  commercial  interests  of 


22  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  United  States  at  sea.  Washington  soon  had  the  appea\ 
ance  of  a  great  military  school.  These  arrangements  proved 
that  the  Government  was  aware  of  the  critical  state  of  affairs. 
In  fact,  it  wras  high  time  that  order  should  be  restored  out  of 
the  confusion  which  had  arisen  during  the  latter  period  of 
Buchanan's  presidency,  and  that  nothing  should  be  wanting  to 
show  the  firm  resolve  of  the  United  States  Government  to 
bring  back  to  the  Union,  either  by  conciliatory  measures  or 
by  force  of  arms,  those  States  which  were  declared  to  be  in 
open  rebellion. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Confederate  Government  had  not 
been  idle.  Three  military  bills  passed  the  Congress  sitting  at 
Montgomery,  which  was  also  temporarily  the  seat  of  the 
Government.  The  first  bill  empowered  President  Davis  to 
call  out  100,000  volunteers  for  service ;  the  second,  to  organ 
ize  a  regular  Confederate  army ;  the  third,  to  form  a  local 
force.  What,  however,  most  alarmed  the  United  States 
Government  at  Washington,  was  the  fact  that  a  great  num 
ber  of  officers  of  the  army  and  navy  were  leaving  the  service 
of  the  United  States  to  join  the  Confederates. 

At  this  trying  time  for  the  Government  at  Washington, 
L — many  Governors  of  Northern  States  tendered  aid  in  both  men 
•  and  money.  It  was  also  resolved  that  the  Government  should 
be  empowered  to  employ  the  military  force  at  its  disposal,  if 
no  other  means  could  be  found,  to  suppress  the  rebellion  of 
the  Southern  States.  As  soon  as  Lincoln's  Government  found 
that  the  Northern  States  intended  to  support  it  manfully  with 
every  means  at  their  disposal,  it  was  decided  at  once  that  re- 
enforcements  of  men  and  supplies  should  be  sent  to  Fort 
Sumter.  With  the  view,  moreover,  of  avoiding,  if  possible, 
even  at  the  last  moment,  all  aggressive  measures,  Colonel 
Lamon  was  sent  to  South  Carolina,  on  a  special  mission  to 
Governor  Pickens,  with  the  notification  that  the  Government 
intended  to  send  supplies  to  Fort  Sumter.  Governor  Pick- 
ens  listened  quietly  to  the  notification,  but  made  no  reply  to 


ACTIVITY  AT  THE  DOCK   YAEDS.  23 

indicate  how  the  Government  of  South  Carolina  intended  to 
act  under  the  circumstances. 

It  was  now  resolved  at  Washington  that  not  a  minute 
should  be  lost  in  taking  active  measures.  The  Navy  Depart 
ment  received  orders  to  issue  the  necessary  instructions  to  get 
the  fleet  ready  at  once  for  service.  The  greatest  activity  was 
displayed  in  all  the  dockyards,  and  in  the  arsenals  of  West 
Troy,  where  the  works  were  carried  on  day  and  night.  A 
great  number  of  steamers  and  sailing  vessels  were  purchased, 
large  contracts  entered  into  for  war  materials,  and  at  last  the 
Washington  Cabinet  showed  the  people  that  it  was  going 
earnestly  to  work.  Recruiting  for  the  regular  army  was  car 
ried  out  with  no  little  success,  so  that  in  a  very  short  time 
from  12,000  to  15,000  troops  were  assembled  on  Governor's 
Island. 

On  the  6th  April,  the  naval  officer  in  command  of  the 
squadron  apprized  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  that  he  was 
awaiting  further  orders. 

The  force  ready  for  service  consisted  of — 
The  POWHATAN  frigate,  carrying  10  heavy  guns,  with  a  crew 

of  400  men ; 
The  cutter    HARRIET  LANE,  8  heavy  guns,  with  a  crew  of 

100  men ; 
The  sloop  of  war  PAWNEE,  10  heavy  guns,  with  a  crew  of 

150  men ; 

together  with  the  BALTIC,  the  ATLANTIC,  the  ILLINOIS,  and 
other  steamers;  the  squadron  numbered  altogether  11  ships, 
carrying  285  guns,  and  2,400  men. 

There  wras  now  no  doubt  that  the  first  blow  would  be 
struck  against  Charleston.  President  Lincoln  hesitated  no 
longer,  and  showed  to  the  world  his  determination,  if  all  at 
tempts  at  peace  should  fail,  to  have  recourse  to  arms. 

The  Southern  Government  at  Montgomery  was,  through 
its  spies,  kept  perfectly  well  informed  of  all  President  Lin 
coln's  measures,  and  appointed  P.  G.  T.  Beauregard  com- 


24  WAR    PICTURES. 

mander  of  Charleston,  with  the  rank  of  general  in  the  Con 
federate  army. 

Beauregard  had  this  appointment  bestowed  upon  him 
without  much  being  known  about  his  military  talents.  The 
son  of  a  rich  planter  in  the  State  of  Louisiana,  he  was  edu 
cated  at  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  and,  on  leaving 
that  institution,  he  obtained  a  second-class  certificate.  When 
the  Mexican  war  broke  out,  he  is  reported  to  have  distin 
guished  himself  as  a  captain  of  engineers,  and  was  twice 
honorably  mentioned  for  his  brave  and  meritorious  conduct 
in  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco.  After  the  battle 
of  Chapul tepee,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  'of  major.  On 
the  termination  of  the  Mexican  war,  he  received  a  commission 
from  the  United  States  Government  to  construct  a  mint  and 
custom  house  in  New  Orleans  ;  he  was  subsequently  appoint 
ed  Superintendent  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  by 
President  Buchanan.  That  appointment,  however,  was  can 
celled  forty-eight  hours  after  it  had  been  made,  and  he  then 
joined  the  army  of  the  Confederacy,  with  the  rank  of  general. 

On  my  return  to  Charleston,  I  found  a  complete  change  in 
the  aspect  of  the  place,  the  whole  town  and  its  neighborhood 
having  the  appearance  of  a  vast  camp.  An  army  of  30,000 
men  was  assembling  against  Fort  Sumtcr  and  its  small  garri 
son,  just  as  if  a  place  as  strong  as  Gibraltar  was  about  to  be 
invested.  Including  the  United  States  squadron,  which  was 
cruising  in  the  vicinity,  the  enemy  could  not  oppose  to  this 
force  more  than  2,500  men. 

Beauregard  displayed  great  activity  in  his  operations. 
He  ordered  siege  works  to  be  erected  on  Morris  and  Sullivan's 
Islands,  and  batteries  to  be  placed  in  position,  many,  indeed, 
without  any  apparent  object.  As  soon  as  a  mound  of  earth 
was  thrown  up  and  a  gun  mounted,  a  commander  of  a  battery 
rose,  like  magic,  from  the  earth.  In  a  short  time,  no  less 
than  thirteen  batteries  were  noted  down  in  Governor  Pickens's 
list,  with  Forts  Moultrie  and  Pinckney,  under  the  able  man- 


FORT   SUMTEK.  25 

agement  of  Major  Ripley,  and  there  were  also  two  colossal 
iron-plated  ships.  The  preparations  portended  a  tremendous 
siege  and  bombardment,  and  my  curiosity  was  greatly  excited. 

To  stimulate  the  energy  of  the  troops,  Governor  Pickens 
visited  the  different  quarters  accompanied  by  his  beautiful 
wife  and  his  niece.  Grand  parades  were  held,  flags  presented 
to  the  different  regiments  by  fair  hands,  and  patriotic  speeches 
made ;  in  short,  both  officers  and  men  declared  that  they  were 
determined  to  conquer  or  die  before  Charleston.  Oh,  Sum- 
ter  !  poor  Sumter  !  thy  doom,  thought  I,  is  near  at  hand  ! 

Whilst  all  these  preparations  were  going  on  outside  that 
stronghold,  Major  Anderson,  within  its  walls,  was  not  idle. 
When  he  took  possession  of  Fort  Sumter,  it  was  in  a  very 
tolerable  state  of  defence ;  according  to  the  statement  of  well- 
informed  Americans,  the  fort  was  bombproof.  It  lies  about 
three  English  miles  from  Charleston,  and  is  a  prominent 
feature  in  the  bay.  It  is  built  upon  an  artificial  islet,  having 
a  foundation  of  sand  and  mud,  which,  by  sunken  blocks  of 
stone  and  granite  from  the  quarries  of  the  Northern  States, 
had  been  transformed  into  a  hard  and  solid  mass.  Some 
idea  may  be  formed  of  the  cost  and  care  bestowed  on  its 
construction,  from  the  well-known  fact  that  the  foundation 
alone  cost  more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars,  and  took  ten 
years  in  completion. 

The  walls,  covered  with  slate  and  masonry,  were  sixty  feet 
in  height,  and  from  ten  to  twelve  feet  in  thickness,  containing 
three  galleries  on  the  north,  east,  and  west  sides.  Major 
Anderson  found  more  guns  and  ammunition  there  than  his 
small  garrison  needed.  As  regards  supplies,  he  was  equally 
well  off,  for  since  the  24th  of  December,  1860,  the  State  of 
South  Carolina  had  taken  care  to  send  them  in  regularly. 

Nothing  now  remained  to  put  these  works  and  the  skill 
of  the  commander  to  the  test  but  a  little  real  fighting. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  an  agent  of  the  Government  at 
Washington  made  his  appearance  at  General  Beauregard's 
2 


26  WAR    PICTURES. 

headquarters,  with  the  intelligence  that  the  United  States  had 
despatched  a  squadron  with  supplies  for  Fort  Sumter.  Gen- 
eral  Beauregard  at  once  forwarded  the  despatch  to  his  Gov 
ernment  at  Montgomery,  and  shortly  after  received  a  despatch 
in  reply  from  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  War,  ordering  him 
to  demand,  categorically,  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  and, 
in  case  of  refusal,  to  commence  the  bombardment  without 
delay.  General  Beauregard  sent  his  first  adjutant,  as  com 
missioner,  to  Major  Anderson,  and  through  him  peremptorily 
demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort.  The  gallant  Major 
smiled  at  so  naive  a  demand,  and  stated  in  reply  that  his 
honor  and  his  duty  compelled  him  to  hold  the  fort  for  his 
Government.  On  being  asked  whether  he  intended  to  treat 
the  unprotected  city  as  a  hostile  town,  he  replied,  "  Only  if  I 
am  compelled  to  do  so."  So  ended  the  parley. 

President  Lincoln's  message  created  a  lively  sensation 
amongst  the  good  people  of  Charleston,  especially  as,  at  the 
same  time,  Governor  Pickens  issued  an  order  calling  upon  all 
men  from  eighteen  to  forty-five  years  of  age  to  assemble  at 
the  Capitol  for  the  purpose  of  being  formed  into  new  regi 
ments.  Further  orders  were  sent  into  the  'immediate  neigh 
borhood  for  the  creation  of  four  other  regiments  of  infantry 
and  two  regiments  of  cavalry.  It  was  not  until  then  that 
ambulances  were  prepared  for  the  wounded,  and  that  the  med 
ical  men  of  the  town  and  vicinity  were  ordered  to  join  the 
army.  The  Government,  indeed,  was  intent  on  taking  meas 
ures,  as  if  some  great  battle  was  on  the  eve  of  being  fought. 
When  at  last  seven  guns  were  fired  as  a  signal  for  the  men  of 
Charleston  capable  of  bearing  arms  to  present  themselves  at 
the  Capitol,  the  excitement  in  the  population  knew  no  bounds. 
Every  man  seized  upon  some  weapon  or  other,  no  matter 
what,  resolved  to  fight  in  good  earnest. 

It  was  a  curious  sight  to  see  men  carrying  guns  without 
locks,  bayonets  without  muskets,  Turkish  sabres  too,  and 
some  men  even  had  old  French  cuirasses  buckled  on;  all 


FOKT   SUMTER.  27 

anxious   to  play  a  part  in  the  attack  on  Tort  Sumter,  then 
quietly  reposing  three  miles  off  in  the  middle  of  the  bay. 

Drums  beat  throughout  the  whole  of  the  night,  and  the 
bells  kept  ringing  so  incessantly  that  Major  Anderson  and 
his  little  garrison  must  have  been  in  an  awful  state  of  alarm. 
At  the  corner  of  every  street,  in  every  bar  room,  crowds  as 
sembled  and  warlike  speeches  were  made,  whilst  cannon  rat 
tled  along  the  pavement,  and  bodies  of  horse  and  foot  marched 
past  in  rapid  succession.  The  elder  portion  of  the  commu 
nity  took  upon  themselves  the  duties  of  police,  whilst  the  \ 
blacks  looked  on  with  a  shrewd  eye  to  see  if  perchance  any-  : 
thing  might  turn  up  in  their  favor.  Every  man  was  deter 
mined  to  do  something,  and  these  disinterested  citizens  made 
such  a  noise  and  confusion  that  one  might  have  fancied  they 
were  so  many  Bedlamites.  To  add  to  the  tumult,  about  mid 
night  one  of  those  terrible  storms  so  common  in  the  Southern 
States  burst  forth ;  the  thunder  pealed  and  roared  to  an  ex 
tent  that  threatened  to  shake  the  earth  to  its  centre,  and  the 
lightning  flashed  in  forks  of  lurid  light  through  the  dark  roll 
ing  clouds,  until  the  storm  terminated  in  real  torrents  of  rain. 
It  was  a  grand  spectacle  of  Southern  nature  in  one  of  its  most 
striking  aspects. 

As  early  as  half  past  four  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  of 
April,  orders  were  sent  to  Major  Ripley,  at  Fort  Moultrie, 
and  to  Captain  Wilson,  commander  of  the  battery  on  Cum- 
ming's  Island,  to  open  fire.  The  batteries  soon  commenced 
firing,  and  two  hours  afterward  were  responded  to  by  the 
guns  of  Fort  Sumter.  Gradually  every  battery  was  engaged, 
and  the  air  resounded  with  the  prolonged  roar  of  heavy  guns. 
The  whole  population  of  Charleston  was  now  in  the  greatest 
state  of  excitement.  The  church  steeples  and  housetops  were 
crowded  by  thousands  of  spectators,  eager  to  see  a  contest  of 
artillery,  and  watching  with  feverish  excitement  the  progress 
of  the  struggle.  At  length  all  the  forts,  batteries,  and  ships 
were  engaged ;  when  suddenly  a  ship  of  war  of  the  United 


28  WAR   PICTURES. 

States  hove  in  sight,  on  Charleston  Bar.  Shortly  afterward 
a  second  ship  made  its  appearance,  and  signals  were  exchanged 
with  Major  Anderson.  Beyond  this  interchange  of  signals, 
however,  nothing  was  done  in  that  quarter ;  the  ships  kept  at 
a  very  respectful  distance  from  our  land  batteries,  leaving 
Major  Anderson  to  his  fate.  As  evening  came  on,  the  fire 
from  the  batteries  increased,  but  evidently  producing  little  or 
no  decisive  effect.  The  firing  was  kept  up  by  our  batteries 
during  the  whole  of  the  night,  which  not  only  afforded  much 
harmless  amusement  to  the  good  citizens  of  Charleston,  but 
as  much  also  to  the  contending  soldiers  themselves  ;  for,  de 
spite  the  eighteen  hours'  bombardment,  not  one  drop  of  blood 
had  been  shed  in  our  batteries ;  and  if  Major  Anderson  had 
not  suffered  more  from  our  artillery,  he  might  feel  satisfied, 
on  this  sco*e  at  least,  with  the  day's  work.  The  reports  re 
ceived  at  headquarters,  from  the  various  batteries  engaged  af 
ter  eighteen  hours'  bombardment,  up  to  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  established  the  fact  that  no  casualty  had  occurred  :  not 
one  man  was  killed  or  wounded,  nor  was  there  a  disabled  gun. 
General  Beauregard,  at  the  close  of  the  day's  proceedings, 
could  therefore  wipe,  not  the  blood,  but  the  dust  from  his 
sword,  and  complacently  say,  "  Enough  for  to-day !  " 

On  the  following  morning  Major  Anderson  recommenced 
firing.  The  soldiers  in  our  batteries  had,  however,  already 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  little  harm  would  ensue,  and, 
therefore,  did  not  allow  themselves  to  be  disturbed  in  their 
usual  avocations.  Any  experienced  European  officer  could 
not  fail,  on  taking  a  glance  at  our  camp,  to  be  considerably 
astonished  at  the  Spartan  self-confidence  of  our  men. 

About  ten  o'clock  a  dense  pillar  of  smoke  was  seen  to  rise 
from  Fort  Sumter,  whilst  the  flag  was  lowered  half-mast  high, 
as  a  signal  that  the  fort  was  in  distress.  The  United  States 
vessels,  which  had  drifted  away  during  the  storm,  had  again 
collected  together  near  the  bar,  and  made  signals  to  Fort 
Sumter.  Major  Anderson  returned  the  compliment  by  tele- 


MAJOR  ANDERSON   CAPITULATES.  29 

graphing  back  to  them  that  he  stood  in  need  of  speedy  help. 
Meanwhile  the  fire  which  had  broken  out  within  the  fort  had 
spread  to  the  barracks  and  officers'  quarters.  The  sudden 
cessation  of  fire  from  its  batteries  was  hailed  by  a  loud  cheer 
from  our  troops,  for  all  now  .anticipated  the  moment  when 
Major  Anderson  and  his  garrison  would  surrender  uncondi 
tionally  to  the  triumphant  Beauregard  and  his  valiant  army. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  firing  from  Fort  Sumter  had 
ceased,  our  troops  kept  up  theirs  with  renewed  energy,  as  if 
•Jiey  feared  that  this  harmless  amusement  would  too  soon  be 
over.  As  the  smoke  and  flames  in  the  fort  increased,  Gene 
ral  Beauregard,  true  on  this  occasion  to  his  chivalrous  char 
acter,  despatched  one  of  his  adjutants,  bearing  a  flag  of  truce, 
to  Major  Anderson,  with  the  message  that  he  trusted  the 
latter  would  not  take  it  in  bad  part  if  he  had  done  him 
serious  damage,  and  that  in  case  the  Major  could  not  master 
the  fire  in  the  fort  by  the  unaided  efforts  of  his  men,  he  should 
be  most  willing  to  send  him  a  detachment  of  his  own  troops 
to  help  him  to  do  so. 

Major  Anderson  now  thought  fit  to  discontinue  further 
resistance,  and  ordered  the  white  flag  to  be  hoisted  as  a  sign 
of  capitulation. 

I  confess  that  at  this  moment  rny  sense  of  military  honor 
suffered  a  keen  pang  on  beholding  the  flag  of  the  United  States 
lowered,  and  supplanted  by  the  little  flag  of  the  Palmetto 
State  of  South  Carolina. 

In  this  manner  did  Major  Anderson  surrender  a  stronghold  \ 
of  the  Republic,  when  he  ought  rather  to  have  buried  himself 
under  its  ruins  than  have  given  it  up  in  so  pusillanimous  a 
manner.  What  could  have  been  the  motive  that  impelled 
him  to  commit  so  disgraceful  an  act  I  could  not  possibly 
conceive.  His  garrison,  during  a  thirty  hours'  bombardment, 
suffered  no  loss  in  either  killed  or  wounded  ;  he  had  ammu 
nition  and  provisions  enough  for  full  twenty  days  ;  the  works 
were  in  a  good  state  of  defence ;  moreover,  outside  the  bar 


30  WAR    PICTURES. 

was  a  squadron  of  United  States  ships  of  sufficient  force  to 
give  him  confidence  and  eventual  succor. 

That  little  Armada  could  undoubtedly  have  soon  found  a 
favorable  moment  to  get  in  motion,  and  enable  him  to 
obtain  better  conditions  than  an  unconditional  surrender.* 
He  could  indeed  have  claimed  more  favorable  conditions 
from  any  enemy,  however  powerful,  if  he  had  but  resolved 
to  decline  all  proposals  for  at  least  a  week,  and  writh  the  ad 
vantages  he  had,  he  could  have  defied  superior  numbers  for 
that  space  of  time.  But  the  commandant  of  Fort  Sumter? 
by  thus  prematurely  yielding — uncrippled  as  he  was,  except 
by  his  own  want  of  resolution — degraded  himself  in  the  eyes 
of  all  military  men — in  Europe  at  least. 

Meantime  the  news  of  the  capitulation  spread  like  wildfire 
through  Charleston,  and,  as  may  be  imagined,  created  the 
greatest  sensation.  The  church  bells  began  to  peal,  and  the 
cheers  and  shouts  and  the  bombastic  boasting  and  speechify 
ing  of  men  in  a  condition  of  mind  more  like  that  of  lunatics 
than  reasonable  beings,  produced  a  most  disagreeable  impres 
sion  upon  me. 

Couriers  were  despatched  with  the  astounding  news  of  the 
fall  of  Fort  Sumter  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land,  and  drove  the  excited  population  everywhere  into  a 
state  of  frenzied  delight. 

When  Major  Anderson  left  the  fort,  where  he  had  sullied 
his  military  reputation,  he  delivered  up  his  sword  to  Gene 
ral  Beauregard,  who,  in  the  politest  manner,  returned  it  to 
him  with  some  well-turned  complimentary  remarks  upon  the 
gallant  defence  he  had  made.  The  Major  and  the  whole  of 
his  garrison  were  allowed  free  passage  to  New  York,  and  on 
their  leaving  the  fort  the  United  States  flag  was  saluted  with 
a  salvo  of  fifty  guns.  It  would  seem  as  if  enough  powder 

*  The  fort  was  surrendered  because  the  provisions  were  exhausted.  The  com 
mand  took  their  arms  and  all  private  and  company  property,  saluted  the  flag  as  it 
was  lowered,  and  were  conveyed  to  any  Northern  port  they  desired.— Am.  Ed. 


LINCOLN'S  WAELIKE  PROCLAMATION.  31 

had  not  been  already  wasted  in  this  sham  fighting  affair,  and 
so  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  get  up  a  sort  of  spectacle  at 
the  conclusion. 

Whilst  this  complimentary  salute  was  being  fired,  two  of 
the  guns  burst,  thereby  causing  four  of  Major  Anderson's 
men  to  be  mortally  wounded.  This  was  the  only  blood  shed' 
during  the  whole  of  the  operations  connected  with  the  capture 
of  the  redoubtable  Fort  Sumter. 

This  siege  and  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter  will  occupy  a 
conspicuous  and  not  very  enviable  space  in  military  annals. 
It  will,  hereafter,  surely  be  deemed  incredible  that  a  bom 
bardment  which  lasted  forty-eight  hours,  and  in  which  more 
than  500  missiles  from  powerful  guns  were  fired,  came  to  a 
close  without  causing  a  single  casualty  on  either  side  ! 

The  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  did  not  produce  the  slightest 
effect  upon  President  Lincoln  and  his  Government ;  on  the 
contrary,  he,  as  well  as  the  population  of  the  Northern  States, 
thought  fit  to  pay  the  highest  honors  to  Major  Anderson. 
The  President  promoted  him  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general, 
and  his  friends  hurried  in  crowds  to  pay  their  respects  to  him, 

Some  two  years  have  elapsed  since  that  disgraceful  capitu-   ' 
lation.     The  name  of  General  Anderson  is  all  but  forgotten  ; 
and  he  has  not  again  appeared  on  any  battle  field. 

On  the  14th  April,  1861,  President  Lincoln  issued  his 
declaration  of  war.  It  is  couched  in  earnest  and  dignified 
terms,  and  runs  as  follows  : 

"  Whereas,  the  laws  of  the  United  States  have  been  for 
some  time  past,  and  now  are,  opposed,  and  the  execution 
thereof  obstructed  in  the  States  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia, 
Alabama,  Florida,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Texas,  by 
combinations  too  powerful  to  be  suppressed  by  the  ordinary 
course  of  judicial  proceedings,  or  by  the  powers  invested  in 
the  marshals  by  law ; 

"  Now,  therefore,  I,  Abraham  Lincoln,   President  of  the 


32  %  WAR    PICTUEES. 

United  States,  in  virtue  of  the  power  in  me  vested  by  the 
constitution  and  the  laws,  have  thought  fit  to  call  forth,  and 
hereby  do  call  forth,  the  militia  of  the  several  States  of  the 
Union,  to  the  aggregate  number  of  seventy-five  thousand,  in 
order  to  suppress  said  combinations,  and  to  cause  the  laws  to 
be  duly  executed. 

"  The  details  for  this  object  will  be  immediately  commu 
nicated  to  the  State  authorities  through  the  War  Depart 
ment. 

"  I  appeal  to  all  loyal  citizens  to  favor,  facilitate,  and  aid 
this  effort  to  maintain  the  honor,  the  integrity,  and  the  ex 
istence  of  our  National  Union,  and  the  perpetuity  of  popular 
government,  and  to  redress  wrongs  already  long  enough, 
endured. 

"  I  deem  it  proper  to  say  that  the  first  service  assigned  to 
the  forces  hereby  called  forth  will  probably  be  to  repossess 
the  forts,  places,  and  property  \vhich  have  been  seized  from 
the  Union ;  and  in  every  event  the  utmost  care  will  be  ob 
served,  consistently  with  the  objects  aforesaid,  to  avoid  any 
devastation  and  destruction  of  or  interference  with  property, 
or  any  disturbance  of  peaceful  citizens  in  any  part  of  the 
country.  And  I  hereby  command  the  persons  composing  the 
combinations  aforesaid  to  disperse  and  retire  peaceably  to 
their  respective  abodes  within  twenty  days  from  this  date. 

"ABRAHAM  LINCOLN." 

In  my  opinion,  this  proclamation  did  not  protest  vigor 
ously  enough  against  the  conduct  of  the  Southern  seceding 
States.  President  Lincoln  ought  to  have  seen,  from  their  ener 
getic  preparations,  that  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  supporters 
were  exerting  every  nerve  to  do  battle  with  the  Union.  He 
ought  to  have  called  out  for  active  service,  not  75,000  men, 
but  half  a  million,  and  another  half  million  as  a  reserve.  By 
so  doing,  he  would  have  given  a  guarantee  to  some  hundred 
thousand  of  dismayed  Unionists  in  the  South  that  he  was  re- 
V, 


EXCITEMENT  AT  RICHMOND.  33 


solved  in  earnest  to  support  and  protect  all  loyal  subjects 
throughout  the  Union. 

At  Montgomery,  President  Lincoln's  proclamation  was 
received  with  contempt  and  derision ;  illusion  reached  so  far, 
indeed,  that  it  was  rumored  the  seat  of  the  Confederate  Gov 
ernment  might  shortly  be  transferred  to  Washington,  as  it 
was  confidently  hoped  that  they  would  make  very  short  work 
with  the  United  States.  Disaffection  to  the  Union  now  spread 
rapidly,  and  one  State  after  another  refused  passage  to  the 
.forces  of  the  United  States.  Maryland  alone,  of  the  Southern 
States,  represented  by  Governor  Hicks,  promised  the  Presi 
dent  to  support  him  with  troops,  in  his  endeavors  to  compel 
the  seceding  States  to  rejoin  the  Union  by  force  of  arms.  At 
the  same  time,  Governor  Hicks  issued  a  proclamation  to  the 
citizens,  calling  upon  them  to  await  quietly  and  patiently  the 
course  of  events,  as  he  would  soon  give  them  an  opportunity, 
through  the  election  of  members  for  Congress,  of  expressing 
their  opinion  whether  they  wished  to  remain  true  to  the  Re 
public  of  the  United  States,  or  whether  they  wished  to  range 
themselves  on  the  side  of  the  Confederate  Government. 

My  mission  in  South  Carolina  having  terminated  with  the 
fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  I  returned  forthwith  to  the  State  of  Vir 
ginia,  to  watch  the  course  of  events  there. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  after  nearly  three  months'  absence, 
I  arrived  safely  at  Richmond.  The  appearance  of  the  good 
old  State  of  Virginia  had  undergone  a  complete  change.  As 
I  entered  its  capital,  my  attention  was  at  once  attracted  to  the 
motley  mass  of  adventurers  who  had  flocked  here  from  every 
part  of  the  Confederacy;  Baltimore,  especially,  being  well 
represented.  These  gentry  had  positively  taken  possession 
of  the  city,  as  well  as  the  State,  and  were  powerful  enough  to 
overawe  the  Government. 

The  fall^of  Fort  Sumter,  and  the  bombastic  reports  issued 
in  all  quarters,  glorifying  the  bravery  of  the  troops  of  South 
Carolina,  under  their  great  leader,  Beauregard,  put  these  vaga- 


34  WAR    PICTURES. 

bonds  into  the  greatest  state  of  ecstasy.  They  compelled  the 
inhabitants  to  illuminate  the  city  in  honor  of  the  renowned 
victory,  under  the  threat  that  all  windows  not  lit  up  were  to 
be  smashed,  and  the  occupants  of  the  houses  ill  treated  and 
handed  over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  rabble.  Money  and 
promises  from  the  Government  at  Montgomery  were  not 
wanting  to  aggravate  this  sad  state  of  things.  At  every  cor 
ner  of  a  street,  bar-room  brawlers,  seasoning  their  speeches 
with  oaths  and  curses,  might  be  heard  prophesying  that  on 
the  following  day  Virginia  must  leave  the  Union.  An  inter-, 
view,  which  I  had  on  the  very  evening  of  my  arrival,  with 
Governor  Letcher,  who  had  not  escaped  insult  from  the  law 
less  rabble,  and  with  the  Hon.  John  Minor  Botts,  gave  me 
some  hope,  however,  that  the  Government  of  the  State  of 
Virginia  would  make  an  appeal  to  the  loyal  citizens  of  the 
United  States.  Meantime,  all  that  could  be  done  was  to  await 
quietly  the  course  of  events. 

On  the  following  morning,  the  18th  April,  tumultuous 
crowds  assembled  at  the  Capitol,  in  the  square  in  front  of 
Governor  Letcher's  house,  and,  amidst  shouts  of  execration 
and  defiance,  demanded  the  removal  of  the  United  States  ban 
ner,  and  that  the  flag  of  the  Confederacy  should  be  forthwith 
hoisted  in  its  place.  One  fellow,  in  this  unruly  mob  was  too 
impatient  to  wait  for  formal  compliance  with  this  demand,  so, 
rushing  up  the  steps  of  the  Capitol,  and  climbing  on  to  the 
roof,  he  attempted  to  mount  the  flagstaff  that  he  might  tear 
down  the  flag  of  the  Union,  encouraged  and  cheered  in  his 
efforts  by  the  tumultuous  multitude  below.  He  had  nearly 
reached  the  top  when  he  slipped,  and  falling  on  the  roof,  was 
severely  hurt.  This  was  a  bad  omen.  Shortly  afterward  a 
detachment  of  soldiers  was  ordered  to  the  spot  to  keep  the 
crowd  in  order.  In  the  afternoon,  however,  the  mob  increased 
to  such  an  extent  that  the  small  knot  of  respectable  citizens, 
who  resolutely  aided  the  soldiers  in  their  efforts  to  keep  order, 
were  driven  back,  the  Capitol  taken  by  storm,  the  flag  of  the 
Union  torn  down,  and  that  of  the  Confederacy  hoisted. 


SECESSION   OP   VIRGINIA.  35 

I  could  not  but  feel  moved  at  this  outrageous  act  of  the 
populace,  in  thus  ignominiously  hauling  down  the  flag  of  the 
Republic,  under  which  I  had  found  a  refuge  and  a  home,  espe 
cially  when  I  saw  how  deeply  affected  were  many  of  the  by 
standers  of  both  sexes — loyal  adherents  of  the  Union — on 
witnessing  the  occurrence. 

The  separation  of  Virginia  from  the  Union  created  the 
greatest  enthusiasm  amongst  those  States  which  had  already 
seceded,  for  the  Confederacy  now  counted  ten  States  under  its 
iron  rule.  By  the  secession  of  the  State  of  Virginia, — which 
throughout  the  whole  country,  not  only  from  its  great  extent 
and  prosperity,  but  from  its  historical  associations  and  the 
eminent  statesmen  it  had  produced,  enjoyed  so  high  a  reputa 
tion, — the  Government  at  Montgomery  hoped  effectually  to 
supersede  that  of  Washington.  It  was  firmly  believed,  more 
over,  that  the  State  of  Maryland  would  take  advantage  of  this 
opportunity  to  leave  the  Union,  and  that  the  Government  at 
Washington  would  be  compelled  to  remove  its  seat  further 
northward.  All  the  inducements  held  out,  whether  by  bribery 
or  otherwise,  failed,  however,  to  shake  the  stanch  honesty  and 
strong  will  of  Governor  Hicks,  who  was  determined  to  remain 
true  to  the  cause  of  the  Republic. 


36  WAK    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    RIOT   AT    BALTIMORE. 

Consequences  of  the  secession  of  Virginia— The  Confederate  Government  is  trans 
ferred  from  Montgomery  to  Richmond— Kiot  at  Baltimore— Movement  of  the 

troops. 

IT  ought  not  to  be  matter  for  .astonishment  that  the  Govern- 

& 

ment  of  Washington  was  greatly  incensed  at  the  secession  of 
Virginia  from  the  Union,  for  the  consequence  of  that  act  was 
that  the  States  of  Tennessee,  Arkansas,  and  North  Carolina 
quickly  followed,  and  thereby  the  Confederate  Government 
was  sufficiently  strengthened  to  carry  on  the  war  on  a  grand 
scale.  All  the  railways  were  voluntarily  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  that  Government ;  and  it  certainly  made  the  best 
use  of  this  generous  offer.  The  Congress  at  Montgomery 
authorized  the  Government  to  contract  a  loan  of  five  million 
dollars,  which  was  subscribed  for  immediately.  In  all  the 
States  which  had  of  late  seceded,  regiments  were  raised 
zealously  and  at  much  personal  sacrifice.  All  the  male  pop 
ulation  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty  years  pressed 
forward  to  be  enrolled  under  the  Confederate  banner ;  and, 
indeed,  many  men  of  even  sixty  years  of  age  would  not  be 
deterred  from  taking  up  arms  for  their  new  Government.  It 
is  at  the  same  time  true  that  many  regiments  were  only  thus 
suddenly  raised  because  a  number  of  dues  and  charges  were 
bound  up  and  connected  with  their  formation.  Everybody 


VIRGINIA  THE  SEAT   OF   WAR.  37 

was  enthusiastic  in  support  of  the  war ;  in  my  opinion, 
however,  not  so  much  for  the  sake  of  fighting  in  defence  of 
the  Confederacy,  as  from  the  opinion  that,  their  States  having 
seceded,  matters  would  be  soon,  if  they  were  not  already, 
arranged;  and  none  looked  forward  to  the  terrible  events 
which  were  to  follow.  A  great  many  persons  availed  them 
selves  of  their  military  position  in  order  to  travel  on  their 
business  avocations,  or  to  make  little  pleasure  excursions  at 
the  Government's  expense.  Equipped  in  stately  uniforms, 
and  armed  to  the  teeth  with  excellent  weapons  from  the 
military  storehouses,  which  had  all  been  seized  by  the  insur 
gent  Government,  these  gallant  soldiers  strutted  about  without 
any  apparent  fear  or  alarm.  It  was  a  kind  of  general  mas 
querade  or  carnival.  That  this  was  to  be  succeeded  by  the 
stern  reality  of  war,  with  its  bloodshed  and  misery,  never 
seemed  to  enter  any  one's  mind.  That  a  future  was  ap 
proaching  replete  with  disaster  to  the  country,  which  would 
break  up  all  unity  and  concord,  and  lead  to  the  derision  of 
their  enemies  and  the  inexpressible  sorrow  of  their  friends, 
was  not  thought  of. 

After  a  while  the  Government  began  to  put  a  little 
military  order  into  this  chaos,  by  placing  detachments  of 
troops  in  the  forts  of  Charleston,  Pensacola,  Morgan,  Jackson, 
Philip,  and  Pulaski ;  whilst  all  the  forces  of  the  different 
States  belonging  to  the  Confederacy  were  ordered  to  the 
State  of  Virginia,  which  latter  had  been  selected  for  the 
theatre  of  war.  On  the  20th  of  May,  the  seat  of  Government 
was  transferred  from  Montgomery,  Alabama,  to  Richmond, 
Virginia;  and  Jeiferson  Davis,  the  benefactor  elect  of  the 
people,  made  his  entry  into  Richmond  amidst  the  vocifera 
tions  of  his  friends  and  worshippers. 

Richmond,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  and,  virtu 
ally,  indeed,  of  the  whole  South,  was  at  this  time,  as  regards 
its  resources  in  mechanical  industry,  quite  in  its  infancy, 
particularly  as  respects  the  manufacture  of  arms,  for  which 


38  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  Confederates  would  indeed  have  been  badly  off,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  opportune  aid  they  received  from  J.  B.  Floyd, 
the  late  United  States  Secretary  of  War,  who  helped  them  in 
their  dilemma,  dexterously  contriving  to  transfer  115,000 
excellent  muskets  and  rifles  from  the  United  States  military 
stores  at  Springfield  and  Waterford  to  the  camp  of  the 
Secessionists.  Thus,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war  the 
South  had,  thanks  to  Mr.  Floyd's  good  offices,  from  150,000 
to  200,000  muskets  ready  for  the  equipment  of  their  troops. 

The  Government  at  Washington  was  not  idle  whilst  these 
movements  were  occurring  in  the  South,  and  assembled  large 
bodies  of  troops.  And  it  cannot  be  denied  that,  during  the 
confusion  and  disorder  with  which  it  was  at  first  surrounded, 
the  people  of  the  Northern  States  generally  manifested  the 
same  kind  of  patriotic  devotion  as  had  been  shown  in  the 
days  of  the  great  Eevolution.  The  men  who  first  responded 
to  the  call  of  their  President  were  the  volunteer  militia  regi 
ments  of  Massachusetts,  who  hurried  to  Washington  for  the 
protection  of  their  President  and  the  Republic.  The  first 
regiment,  on  arriving  at  the  railway  station  of  Baltimore,  was 
obliged,  in  order  to  reach  the  station  of  the  railway  for  Wash 
ington,  to  traverse  the  city ;  a  portion  of  the  regiment  was 
then  conveyed  by  the  horse  tramway,  the  rest  being  obliged 
to  walk.  On  the  news  arriving  of  the  approach  of  these 
troops,  the  vagabond  population  of  the  place,  always  ready 
for  mischief,  became  highly  excited  ;  whilst  the  police, 
although  well  acquainted  with  the  intentions  of  the  mob, 
offered  little  or  no  opposition.  This  passive  conduct  of  the 
police  authorities  can  only  be  construed  as  actually  favoring 
the  riot.  Encouraged  by  this  inactivity,  and  excited  by 
drink,  the  leaders  of  the  mob  proceeded  to  violent  acts.  The 
rails  were  torn  up,  and  barricades  erected  in  the  streets ; 
whilst  a  part  of  the  rioters,  with  the  Confederate  flag  at  their 
head,  threw  themselves  in  the  way  of  the  military,  in  order 
to  dispute  the  passage  through  the  town ;  and  stones 


KIOT   AT  BALTIMORE.  39 

thrown  at  the  soldiers,  as  they  were  proceeding  quietly  on 
their  way.  Although  the  officer  commanding  the  troops  ex 
horted  the  people  to  let  them  pass  quietly  and  unmolested, 
his  efforts  were  in  vain,  and  he  was  received  with  groans, 
hisses,  and  abuse.  This  officer  maintained  perfect  self-posses 
sion  ;  but  when  the  soldiers  were  assailed  by  the  mob,  and 
showers  of  stones  increased,  he  ordered  the  drums  to  beat 
and  the  men  to  make  ready;  and  presently,  at  the  word 
"  Fire !  "  a  deadly  volley  was  discharged  at  the  rioters,  who, 
armed  with  knives  and  revolvers,  commenced  a  regular 
struggle  with  the  military.  The  soldiers  forced  their  way, 
despite  repeated  attacks,  to  the  railway  station,  with  the  loss 
of  but  few  men.  There,  however,  they  found  awaiting  them 
a  still  more  enraged  multitude.  The  directors  of  the  railway 
had,  meanwhile,  not  been  inactive,  having  hurriedly  collected 
carriages  for  the  conveyance  of  the  troops  to  Washington. 
Nevertheless,  the  train  was  stopped,  and  the  scene  at  the 
station  became  terrific.  The  soldiers,  having  taken  their 
seats  in  the  carriages,  the  mob  continued  to  abuse  them, 
threatening  them  with  their  knives  and  revolvers,  howling 
and  cursing  at  them  incessantly.  The  police  at  last  made 
some  show  of  interfering,  but  without  effecting  much  good ; 
and  the  people  were  by  this  time  so  excited,  that  any  attempt 
at  expostulation  was  more  calculated  to  inflame  than  to  soothe 
them. 

The  train  got  off  at  last,  leaving  the  populace  howling  and 
raging  at  the  escape  of  its  intended  victims  ;  and  to  compen 
sate  for  this  they  completely  demolished  the  station.  As  the 
train  was  moving  off,  some  soldiers  fired  into  the  people,  who 
were  collected  on  each  side ;  and,  as  is  but  too  frequently  the 
case  on  such  occasions,  many  fell  wrho  had  taken  no  active 
part  in  the  riot.  Several  respectable  citizens  of  Baltimore 
paid  for  their  curiosity  with  their  lives,  and  many  others  were 
dangerously  wounded.  The  revolutionary  party  in  Baltimore, 
of  which  we  have  already  had  occasion  to  speak,  now  devel- 


40  WAR    PICTURES. 

oped  itself  and  proceeded  to  great  extremities.  The  railway 
bridge  over  the  Susquehanna  was  burnt  down,  and  Governor 
Hicks  forced  unwillingly  to  join  in  the  movement  against  the 
President  and  the  Washington  Government.  He  did  not, 
however,  allow  himself  to  be  led  astray  by  these  would-be 
representatives  of  the  people  of  Maryland ;  and  before  long 
placed  four  regiments  at  the  disposal  of  the  Union  Govern 
ment.  For  along  while  subsequent  to  these  events  great  dis 
order  and  discontent  continued  to  prevail  at  Baltimore. 

Baltimore  had  to  submit  to  the  military  power  of  the 
Union,  whilst  the  revolutionary  element  migrated  further 
south.  The  railroads  were  soon  put  in  order  again,  and  they 
enabled  the  Government  to  forward  from  4,000  to  5,000  men 
daily  to  Washington.  The  Southern  party  in  Maryland  pro 
tested  in  vain  against  the  passage  of  these  troops,  as  also 
against  the  military  authorities,  who  had  now  taken  posses 
sion  of  Baltimore  and  its  fortifications.  President  Lincoln 
let  them  protest  as  much  as  they  liked,  and  quietly  pursued 
his  course.  General  Butler,  who  was  named  Military  Gover 
nor  of  Maryland,  was  a  proper  man  to  reestablish  quiet  and 
order  after  the  riotous  proceedings  which  had  taken  place. 
The  mayor  of  the  city  of  Baltimore  and  all  the  chiefs  of  the 
police  were  dismissed  and  sent  into  the  fortress  as  prisoners, 
and  all  rebels  and  criminals  brought  before  a  military  tri 
bunal,  so  that  in  a  short  time  peace  and  tranquillity  were 
restored. 

In  the  North  nothing  was  heard  of  but  preparations  for 
the  war,  and  "  Down  with  the  rebels  ! "  was  the  general  watch 
word.  Nobody  seemed,  however,  to  take  the  trouble  to  solve 
the  problem  of  how  this  end  was  to  be  accomplished. 

To  prove  in  black  and  white  that  the  North  had  a  greater 
population  and  more  wealth  than  the  South — that  it  possessed 
a  navy — seemed  to  be  every  man's  favorite  occupation  ;  in 
deed,  the  merchants  in  the  North  went  so  far  as  to  announce 
as  an  unquestionable  fact,  that  the  South  would  surely  be 


CONFIDENCE   OP   THE  NORTH.  41 

starved,  if  they  resolved  simply  to  withhold  corn  and  other 
articles  of  consumption  from  them. 

The  warlike  plans  of  the  North  at  this  time  may  be  thus 
succinctly  summed  up : 

Simply  to  send  25,000  men  across  the  Potomac  to  march 
on  Richmond  ;  to  send  another  body  of  25,000  men  to  Cairo 
on  the  Mississippi;  to  close  all  communications  with  the 
West ;  and  to  keep  25,000  more  men  as  a  reserve  force. 

In  short,  the  journalists  of  the  North  had  planned  their 
strategical  movements  with  such  nicety  and  military  genius, 
that  a°mere  parade  and  march  was  all  that  was  required  for 
the  subjugation  of  the  half-starved  Southerners.  Soldiers 
were  only  enlisted  for  three  months ;  and  it  was  hoped  and 
expected  that  the  whole  campaign  would  be  over  in  that  time. 
President  Lincoln,  however,  fortunately  did  not  allow  himself 
to  be  led  astray  by  these  newspaper  vagaries ;  and  issued  a 
second  proclamation,  calling  out  a  further  body  of  45,000 
men  to  serve  for  the  time  the  war  should  last ;  giving  orders 
at  the  same  time  for  ten  additional  regiments  to  the  regular 
army,  and  for  an  augmentation  of  18,000  men  in  the  navy. 
From  all  this  it  was  clearly  to  be  deduced  that  President 
Lincoln  fully  foresaw  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  task 
he  had  before  him.  As  soon  as  a  sufficient  body  of  troops 
had  been  assembled  at  "Washington,  they  received  orders  to 
cross  the  Potomac  immediately,  and  to  proceed  along  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railway  in  the  direction  of  Richmond ; 
whilst  another  column  was  sent  from  Pennsylvania  through 
Maryland  into  the  valleys  of  Virginia.  The  first  military  act 
was  the  occupation  of  the  not  unimportant  town  of  Alexan 
dria,  which  was  effected  on  the  24th  of  May ;  on  which  the 
Southern  troops  fell  back  to  the  Manassas  Junction,  Gen 
eral  Bonham  assuming  the  command  of  those  from  South 
Carolina. 


42  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER    III. 

DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    FLEET  AT    PORTSMOUTH. 

Proclamation  of  President  Lincoln — Virginia  the  seat  of  War — General  Leo  Com 
mander-in-chief—Destruction  of  Harper's  Ferry — Establishments  at  Ports 
mouth — Burning  of  the  fleet. 

ON  the  19th  April,  1861,  President  Lincoln  issued  a  procla 
mation,  in  which  he  declared  all  ports  of  the  Southern  States 
under  blockade.  Hostilities  between  the  North  and  South 
had  therefore  regularly  commenced ;  troops  were  drawn  to 
gether  on  both  sides,  and  Virginia  was  generally  acknowledged 
to  be  the  chief  seat  of  the  war.  It  now  became  the  endeavor 
of  both  parties  to  inflict  as  much  damage  as  possible  on  each 
other  ;  and  this  frequently  was  carried  out  with  such  a  spirit 
of  Vandalism  as  to  shock  the  civilized  world.  One  of  these 
acts  was  the  destruction  of  the  fleet  at  Portsmouth ;  and  I 
will  endeavor  to  describe  this  event  in  a  few  words. 

Immediately  after  the  publication  of  President  Lincoln's 
proclamation,  President  Jefferson  Davis  appointed  the  quon 
dam  United  States  colonel  of  cavalry,  Robert  E.  Lee,  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  all  the  forces  in  Virginia.  The  troops  of 
the  United  States  army  abandoned  Harper's  Ferry,  one  of 
the  most  important  manufactories  of  arms  in  America,  on  tho 
19th  of  April,  after  destroying  the  greater  part  of  the  build 
ings  and  machinery,  and  retreated  to  friendly  territory.  Thi, 
destruction  of  property  was,  however,  carried  out  so  hurried- 


DESTRUCTION   OP   SHIPS   AT  PORTSMOUTH.  43 

ly,  that  a  great  many  most  valuable  machines  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Confederate  Government  almost  wholly  intact, 
and  they  rendered  very  good  service  subsequently. 

Great  preparations  were  on  the  same  day  made  at  Rich 
mond  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth, 
which  is  situated  at  the  estuary  of  the  James  river.  The 
officers  and  Government  officials  of  the  harbor,  who  were 
pre-informed  of  this  plan,  lost  no  time  in  consummating  their 
preparations  for  the  destruction  of  this,  the  greatest  military 
port  of  the  United  States.  The  officers  in  command,  instead 
of  endeavoring  to  hold  these  works  for  their  Government, 
seemed  to  have  become  quite  bewildered,  and  incapable  of 
recognizing  the  great  importance  of  their  position ;  so  in  the 
face  of  the  most  favorable  circumstances  they  condemned  to 
the  flames  that  fine  military  harbor,  on  which  all  the  former 
Governments  of  the  United  States  had  spent  millions  of  dol 
lars  in  order  to  render  it  one  of  the  first  in  America. 

It  was  a  grand  and  imposing  spectacle  to  see  the  columns 
of  flame  ascending  from  the  majestic  ships  at  anchor  in  the 
port  and  in  course  of  construction  in  the  docks.  Amongst 
the  ships  lying  there  were,  the  line-of-battle  ship  Pennsyl 
vania^  of  3,500  tons,  carrying  131  guns  (once  the  largest 
man-of-war  in  the  world),  the  beautiful  frigates  Columbus  and 
Delaware,  and  the  subsequently  so-dreaded  Merrimac.  The 
frigate  Raritan  and  schooner  Dolphin  were  consumed  by  the 
flames,  and  the  docks,  which  had  cost  millions  of  dollars,  were 
blown  up.  The  signal  for  this  general  destruction  was  given 
at  midnight ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  these  magnificent  produc 
tions  of  the  energy  and  genius  of  man  were  encircled  by  a 
girdle  of  flame ;  and  a  slight  breeze  which  sprang  up  increased 
the  conflagration  rapidly.  The  naval  workmen  and  the  whole 
garrison  were  meanwhile  busily  employed  in  conveying  valu 
ables  on  board  the  two  vessels,  Pawnee  and  Cumberland, 
which  were  riding  at  anchor,  and  both  vessels  were  laden  to 
the  very  portholes.  At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  tide 


44  WAR    PICTURES. 

turned,  and  a  signal  sent  up  by  a  rocket  from  the  Pawnee  an 
nounced  to  the  men  in  the  dockyard  that  the  moment  had 
arrived  for  consummating  the  work  of  destruction,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  dockyard  was  one  blaze  of  flames — a  truly 
grand  but  saddening  spectacle.  The  crackling  of  the  fire  and 
rustling  of  the  flames,  the  falling  of  the  masts,  the  explosion 
of  the  ships  doomed  to  destruction,  the  blowing  up  of  the 
buildings,  which  had  been  undermined — in  fact,  the  whole  of 
this  gigantic  work  of  destruction — was  a  catastrophe  on  which  I 
cannot  look  back,  even  now,  after  the  time  that  has  elapsed, 
without  a  shudder.  It  was  one  of  those  silly  and  cowardly 
acts  of  destruction  which,  while  causing  no  harm  to  the  enemy, 
crippled  their  own  Government,  and  caused  them  irremediable 
loss.  Had  the  commandant  of  this  place,  his  officers,  and  the 
garrison  of  the  naval  dockyard  of  Portsmouth,  understood 
how  to  preserve  this  valuable  and  important  place  to  their 
Government  and  country,  their  names  would  have  lived  in 
history,  and  been  gratefully  recorded  in  the  hearts  of  their 
countrymen.  They  might  well  have  waited  for  the  indulgence 
of  this  strange  eagerness  for  destruction  until  the  moment  of 
attack,  instead  of  forestalling  that  event  by  the  premature 
sacrifice  of  the  accumulated  wealth  of  so  noble  a  harbor. 
The  military  port  and  harbor  of  Portsmouth  ceased  to  exist 
on  the  20th  of  April,  1861,  and  the  country  around  was  light 
ed  up  for  miles  as  the  Pawnee  and  frigate  Cumberland  sailed 
down  the  bay,  laden  with  the  valuables  saved  from  the  fiery 
wreck,  to  seek  shelter  under  the  guns  of  Fortress  Monroe. 


BATTLE    OF   BETHEL.  45 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    BETHEL. 

THE  Southern  troops,  about  1,800  strong,  had,  under  the  com 
mand  of  General  B.  Magruder,  constructed  defensive  works  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  church  of  Bethel :  which  place  is  about 
nine  miles  distant  from  Hampton,  where  the  enemy's  troops 
had  established  their  camp.  On  the  9th  of  May,.Major-Gen- 
eral  Butler,  who  commanded  the  Federal  troops,  sent  forward 
a  detachment  of  4,000  men,  who  were  to  advance  on  Bethel 
in  two  separate  columns,  with  the  view,  if  possible,  of  driving 
away  the  enemy  and  destroying  the  defensive  works  which 
they  had  erected.  The  command  was  given  to  Colonel  Pierce. 
The  first  column  crossed  the  river  a  little  below  the  Southern 
posts,  whilst  the  second  column  effected  a  similar  passage 
lower  down.  No  opposition  whatever  was  made  to  the  land 
ing  of  these  troops  ;  and  while  the  first  column  was  attacking 
the  Confederate  troops  in  flank,  the  second  assailed  them  in 
front.  A  battery  of  Richmond  mortars,  under  the  personal 
command  of  Major  Randolph  (now  Secretary  of  War)  opposed 
the  attack.  On  this  day  Major  Randolph  gave  the  first  proofs 
of  his  undaunted  courage,  and  gallantly  maintained  his  post. 
In  the  meanwhile  the  Federal  troops  attacked  with  such  reso 
lution  that  they  succeeded  in  gaining  possession  of  the  first 
outwork  without  suffering  much  loss,  and  our  soldiers  were 
obliged  to  retreat  in  disorder,  and  with  the  loss  of  two  pieces 


46  WAR    PICTURES. 

of  artillery.  This  impetuous  attack  of  the  enemy  somewhat 
dismayed  our  young  and  inexperienced  soldiers,  who  were 
frightened,  moreover,  at  the  numbers  of  the  attacking  force, 
and  not  considering  that  a  covered  position  has  a  threefold 
advantage,  they  rapidly  abandoned  that  position,  throwing 
themselves  into  the  principal  work,  which  lay  to  the  rear. 
The  enemy  took  a  firm  footing  in  the  stormed  outposts ;  in 
deed,  the  Confederates  were  very  near  losing  their  whole  line 
of  fortified  works,  and  the  troops  became  so  disheartened  that 
the  consequences  would  certainly  have  been  most  disastrous, 
had  not  General  Magruder,  with  great  presence  of  mind  and 
calmness,  ordered  four  companies  of  the  1st  North  Carolina 
regiment,  under  the  command  of  Major  Bridges,  to  retake 
the  outwork  at  all  hazards.  This  order  was  splendidly  carried 
out  by  the  fbur  companies.  They  advanced  with  coolness  and 
determination,  in  the  face  of  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery,  which 
assailed  them  from  the  front,  and  on  arriving  within  sixty 
yards'  distance  of  the  outwork,  with  loud  hurrahs,  they  ad 
vanced  at  a  run  to  the  attack,  and  dislodged  the  Federal  sol 
diers  who  held  possession  of  it,  with  the  greatest  ease,  causing 
them  to  retreat  in  the  greatest  disorder,  leaving  what  they  had 
but  just  before  stormed  in  the  hands  of  the  Confederates. 

The  enemy  continued  to  keep  up  an  uninterrupted  fusilade, 
which,  however,  being  directed  in  a  most  irregular  manner, 
inflicted  but  little  loss  on  the  Confederate  troops.  Whilst  we 
established  ourselves  again  in  the  reconquered  outwork,  our 
batteries  reopened  their  fire — not,  however,  with  much  effect, 
the  enemy's  position  being  too  well  covered.  His  right  flank 
leaned  on  a  small,  but  dense  wood,  and  his  left  was  closed  by 
some  houses.  A  twelve-pounder  battery  responded  to  our 
own ;  it  was,  however,  so  well  hidden  by  the  wood  and  the 
houses,  that  we  were  only  enabled  to  guess  its  position  from 
its  fire.  The  enemy's  battery  sent  forth  a  hail  of  projectiles 
at  us  from  a  distance  of  from  five  hundred  to  six  hundred 
yards ;  but,  fortunately  for  us,  their  practice  was  so  bad  that 


BATTLE    OF   BETHEL.  47 

the  damage  occasioned  l?y  this  continual  fire  was  inconsidera 
ble.  General  Magruder  at  the  same  time  ordered  the  com 
mander  of  our  batteries  only  to  reply  to  the  enemy's  fire 
with  the  utmost  care,  and  when  large  masses  of  troops  ap 
peared  in  line  of  battle.  A  little  after  one  o'clock  a  large 
column  of  the  enemy  was  descried  on  the  road  from  Hamp 
ton,  hastening  to  reach  a  small  bridge  in  our  front.  This 
column  was  under  the  command  of  Major  Winthrop,  the  first 
adjutant  of  General  Butler.  Major  Winthrop  led  his  men 
on  to  the  attack  admirably,  and  they  advanced  boldly  against 
our  outposts,  but  were  received  with  such  a  tremendous  fire 
from  the  1st  North  Carolina  Infantry,  that  they  were  hurled 
back  in  complete  disorder. 

Our  marksmen,  who  were  under  fire  for  the  first  time,  oc 
casioned  us  no  small  confusion.  They  were  utterly  wanting 
in  self-confidence,  and  would  inquire  before  each  shot,  "  May 
I  fire  1  I  think  I  can  hit  him,"  &c.  As  the  enemy  was  being 
repulsed,  a  ball  struck  Major  Winthrop  in  the  breast.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  meritorious  officers  of  the  United  States 
army,  and  his  gallantry  earned  for  hirn  the  admiration  of  our 
officers  and  soldiers.  Colonel  Hill,  commanding  the  1st 
North  Carolina  regiment,  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  this  brave  officer,  in  his  report  of  the  battle.  Major  Win 
throp  fell  while  vainly  endeavoring,  from  a  height,  to  rally 
his  discomfited  men.  The  United  States  lost  in  him  a  most 
excellent  officer.  During  the  hottest  part  of  the  fire,  a  small 
body  of  the  enemy  had  ensconced  themselves  in  a  house  to 
our  left,  and  occasioned  us  much  annoyance  by  their  inter 
mittent  fire. 

A  company  of  volunteers  was  ordered  to  clear  this  house 
of  its  troublesome  occupants,  and  to  raze  it  to  the  ground. 
This  work  was  performed  with  consummate  coolness  and  en 
ergy.  The  volunteers  boldly  attacked  the  house,  and  dis 
lodged  the  enemy,  who  availed  themselves  of  every  aperture 
to  fire  on  them. 


48  WAR    PICTURES. 

After  a  while  the  enemy  ceased  firing,  and  leaving  their 
dead  and  wounded  on  the  field,  retreated  in  haste  beyond 
range  of  our  guns.  The  results  of  the  battle  of  Bethel  were 
of  incalculable  advantage  to  our  troops,  as  it  inspired  them 
with  great  confidence  in  their  own  capabilities.  Although  our 
little  army  generally  behaved  well  and  gallantly  in  the  face 
of  an  enemy  double  its  strength  on  this  day,  yet  the  bearing 
of  the  1st  North  Carolina  regiment  is  especially  worthy  of 
praise,  as  it  was  the  most  exposed  of  all  our  corps  to  the  fire 
of  the  enemy's  artillery,  and  behaved  with  the  greatest  cool 
ness  and  determination. 


COLONEL  POETERFIELD. 


L  1  B  R  A  R  Y 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

CALIFORNIA. 

\  

CHAPTER    V. 

COLONEL  PORTERFIELD'S  VOLUNTEERS. 


WHILST  the  South  was  thus  showing  a  front  to  the  enemy  in 
the  Virginian  Peninsula,  and  earning  its  respect,  it  met  with  a 
reverse  in  the  West,  which  nearly  obliged  the  Confederate 
Government  to  withdraw  further  south  from  Richmond. 

Colonel  Porterfield,  commanding  the  Confederate  forces  at 
Philippi,  received  an  order  from  General  Lee,  the  command- 
er-in-chief  of  'the  army  in  Virginia,  to  raise  the  volunteers  to 
the  strength.of  5,000  men,  and  to  act  in  concert  with  the  offi 
cials  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railway. 

General  Lee  had,  however,  quite  misunderstood  the  char 
acter  of  Colonel  Porterfield,  who  was  one  of  that  numerous 
class  of  heroes  that  discourse  much  and  profess  to  execute  all 
kinds  of  impossibilities,  but  are  at  a  loss  how  to  act  at  the 
first  really  serious  encounter.  Porterfield  was  truly  a  fine 
example  of  such  heroes.  He  had  no  sooner  arrived  in  the 
district  in  which  he  was  to  recruit,  than  he  discovered  that  all 
the  counties  were  very  favorably  disposed  to  the  Union. 
His  first  move  therefore  was,  to  ensconce  himself  in  a  com 
paratively  safe  nook,  and  instead  of  proceeding  to  act  with 
energy  and  circumspection,  he  addressed  a  most  wonderful 
letter  to  General  Lee.  In  this  letter  poor  Porterfield  de 
scribed  himself  as  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  thousands  of 
enemies,  and  begged  the  General  to  send  him  a  sufficient  mili- 
3 


50  WAK    PICTUEES. 

tary  force,  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  proceed  effectively 
with  the  organization  of  the  volunteers.  It  was  only  after 
receiving  reinforcements,  that  Colonel  Porterfield  actually 
commenced  organizing  his  army.  This  beginning,  however, 
showed  but  poor  r.esults,  and  the  general  reply  which  he  re 
ceived  to  his  invitations  to  join  the  Confederacy  was  given  in 
the  negative  by  the  people,  coupled  with  the  intimation  that 
if  they  did  want  to  fight  they  should  do  so  in  defence  of  the 
Union. 

Colonel  Porterfield  strolled  through  the  mountains  of  Vir 
ginia,  like  a  minstrel  of  the  olden  time,  exhorting  the  popula 
tion  to  join  the  gallant  army  to  which  he  belonged,  and  to 
follow  the  banner  of  the  exalted  Government  of  the  Confede 
ration.  After  resorting  to  numerous  expedients,  he  succeeded 
in  gathering  under  his  flag  a  wonderful  assemblage  of  raga 
muffins.  In  a  short  time  his  little  army  had  increased  to  200 
infantry  and  300  cavalry,  and  at  Grafton  he  pitched  his  tents. 
As  soon  as  the  United  States  general  was  informed  of  the 
circumstance,  he  broke  up  his  camp,  and  overcoming  all  diffi 
culties,  advanced  straight  against  Porterfield's  force. 

When  informed  of  the  enemy's  advance,  Porterfield  might 
have  fallen  back  on  Philippi,  and  he  did  actually  order  the 
destruction  of  the  Cheat  bridge.  This  order  was,  however, 
imperfectly  carried  out.  Even  his  outposts  were  so  carelessly 
placed,  as  to  betray  an  utter  ignorance  of  military  tactics ; 
thus  it  befel  that  the  enemy  came  upon  him  like  a  thunder 
bolt,  when  he  and  all  his  men  indiscriminately  took  to  their 
heels. 

Throwing  away  their  arms,  all  Porterfield's  levies  fled  for 
safety  to  the  mountains,  and  the  Colonel  himself,  who  on  this 
occasion  displayed  an  activity  of  movement  quite  surprising, 
arrived  at  General  Lee's  headquarters  more  dead  than  alive. 
The  poor  Colonel  had  positively  nothing  to  say  either  for  him 
self  or  for  his  men,  further  than  to  affirm  that  his  little  force  had 
been  attacked  by  overwhelming  numbers,  and  that  they  had 


COLONEL  POKTEKFIELD.  51 

fought  like  lions ;  that  his  army  might  be,  for  all  he  knew, 
cut  to  pieces.  This  was  the  sum  total  of  the  account  he  had 
to  give  of  himself  and  his  followers.  The  Colonel  could  not 
explain  how  he  alone  had  managed  to  escape  and  reach  head 
quarters.  He  was  subsequently  brought  before  a  court  mar 
tial  at  Richmond,  but  gave  so  clever  an  explanation  of  his 
conduct,  that  the  members  of  that  court,  who,  possibly  from 
a  fellow  feeling  for  the  accused,  not  only  acquitted  him  of  all 
blame,  but  also  bestowed  their  praise  upon  him  for  his  valor 
ous  conduct. 


52  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

M'CLELLAN'S  SUCCESS  AT  RICH  MOUNTAIN. 

State  of  affairs  in  "Western  Virginia— The  Confederate  army  under  General  Gar- 
nett — M'Clellan's  plans — The  ground  in  Virginia — Strength  of  the  Southern 
army — Attack — General  Rosecrans  remains  behind — Colonel  Pegram — M'Clel 
lan's  indefatigable  pursuit— Retreat— Surprise— The  engagement  at  Carrick's 
Ford— Colonel  Tagliaferro— A  mistake— General  Garnett  falls— Loss  of  artillery 
and  baggage— Disorganized  state  of  the  Confederate  army— M'Clellan's  talents. 

WHILST  the  events  just  described  were  taking  place  in  Win 
chester  and  Manassas,  a  great  change  had  occurred  at  the 
theatre  of  war  in  Western  Virginia.  What  under  all  circum 
stances  may  be  considered  as  a  large  army  of  the  Confederates, 
had  been  collected,  and  the  command  intrusted  to  General 
Garnett,  who  at  Rich  Mountain,  Randolph  County,  North- 
Western  Virginia,  took  up  a  position  admirably  adapted  by 
nature,  from  whence  he  could  without  any  anxiety  watch  the 
movements  of  General  M'Clellan,  who  was  advancing  on 
Beverley,  and  had  not  masked  his  intention  to  take  up  a  posi 
tion  in  General  Garnett's  rear,  so  as  to  cut  off  his  communi 
cations  with  General  Lee.  No  military  man  in  Europe  can 
form  any  idea  of  the  position  and  circumstances  of  this  West 
ern  campaign,  unless  he  possesses  an  accurate  knowledge  of 
the  terrain  upon  which  the  military  movements  took  place. 
The  whole  of  Western  Virginia  consists  of  barren,  unpro 
ductive,  mountainous  tracts,  intersected  by  strips  of  forest 
land.  The  roads  and  means  of  communication  are  of  the 


M'CLELLAN'S  FIEST  COMMAND.  53 

most  primitive  description;  and  as  regards  supplies  for  his 
troops,  the  General  is  obliged  to  draw  them  from  a  long  dis 
tance. 

The  strength  of  General  Garnett's  corps  was  from  7,000 
to  8,000  men,  infantry,  15  guns,  6-pounders  and  12-pounders, 
and  6  squadrons  of  cavalry.  The  troops  were  well  armed, 
suited  for  mountain  warfare,  and  hardened  to  their  work  by 
long  habit.  As  already  stated,  General  Garnett's  position 
was  judiciously  chosen  and  well  adapted  for  an  excellent  de 
fensive  basis  of  operations,  both  by  nature  and  as  by  the  aid 
of  art. 

Colonel  Pegram,  with  a  body  of  3,000  men,  took  posses 
sion  of  the  district  of  Rich  Mountain ;  whilst  General  Gar- 
nett,  with  the  main  body  of  his  army,  took  up  his  position  at 
Laurel  Hill. 

For  this  wearisome  and  tiresome  campaign,  the  Govern 
ment  of  the  Northern  States  selected  two  of  the  best  and 
most  experienced  officers  of  the  United  States  army — Gene 
rals  M'Clellan  and  Rosecrans.  It  was  in  this  campaign  that 
M'Clellan  for  the  first  time  drew  public  attention  upon  him 
self,  and  won  the  hearts  of  his  men  by  the  circumspection  as 
well  as  by  the  bravery  which  he  displayed.  It  was  he  who 
shook  the  Federal  army  out  of  the  lethargy  into  which  it  had 
fallen,  and  led  it  to  a  victory  which,  under  other  circumstances, 
would  have  put  an  end  to  the  existence  of  the  Confederate 
army  in  the  West. 

General  M'Clellan,  who  was  well  informed  of  the  position 
of  the  Confederate  army,  contemplated,  by  a  determined  blow, 
on  the  5th  of  July,  to  annihilate  our  corps,  and  thus  to  put 
an  end  to  the  campaign  in  Western  Virginia,  which  had  be 
come  a  very  troublesome  one  for  the  Federals.  At  a  confer 
ence  between  the  two  generals  of  the  enemy's  army,  the 
following  arrangement  was  made  :  That  M'Clellan  should  un 
dertake  the  front  attack,  whilst  General  Rosecrans,  with  his 
force,  was  to  manoeuvre  in  such  a  way  to  attack  the  enemy's 


54  WAR   PICTURES. 

army  without  delay,  and  endeavor  to  reach  the  main  body  of 
the  army  by  the  flank.  By  combined  and  energetic  action  in 
the  execution  of  this  plan,  it  was  hoped  that  the  campaign 
would  terminate  in  the  capture  of  the  whole  of  General  Gar- 
nett's  division. 

In  this  campaign,  General  M'Clellan  for  the  first  time  ap 
peared  in  the  character  of  an  independent  commander ;  and 
we  cannot  refrain  from  bearing  testimony  in  favor  of  a  man 
who  commenced  his  career  as  a  leader  in  so  brilliant  a  man 
ner.  M'Clellan's  army  was  by  no  means  in  good  campaign 
ing  order ;  it  consisted  of  troops  gathered  together  from  all 
parts  of  the  Union.  Not  only  were  the  regiments  collected 
and  mixed  up  together  from  different  States,  so  that  the 
troops  had  scarcely  any  knowledge  of  each  other,  but  they 
were  also  unequally  and  badly  armed.  Despite  these  draw 
backs — so  trying  to  an  energetic  general — M'Clellan  by  his 
prudence  and  precautions  overcame  them  all. 

With  care  and  attention  he  endeavored  to  form  the  spirit 
of  his  troops,  and  to  make  them  regardless  of  fatigue  and 
privations.  And  as  soon  as  he  felt  that  he  had  gained  the 
confidence  of  his  officers  and  men,  he  did  not  delay  one  mo 
ment  to  carry  out  the  plans  which  he  had  formed. 

On  the  8th  July  he  commenced  his  march  with  his  troops, 
and  on  the  same  day  took  up  a  position  at  Bealington,  oppo 
site  Laurel  Hill,  then  left  a  portion  of  his  troops  behind  as  a 
corps  of  observation,  and  advanced  with  the  main  body  in 
rapid  strides  toward  Rich  Mountain.  This  march  was  one 
of  those  fatiguing  operations  which  such  a  country  as  America 
can  alone  offer  an  example  of.  Through  pathless  woods,  over 
high  hills,  through  streams  and  rivulets,  the  soldiers  had  to 
force  their  way.  Added  to  this,  the  rain  never  ceased  to  pour 
down.  Despite  all  these  obstacles  the  men  kept  on  without 
murmwing ;  they  overcame  every  difficulty  with  a  facility 
which  entitled  them  to  an  honorable  comparison  with  the 
tried  soldiers  of  Europe.  M'Clellan  himself  was  always  at 


SUKEENDEK   OF   COLONEL  PEGRAM.  55 

the.  head  of  his  men,  to  whom  he  set  a  good  example  by 
cheerfully  putting  up  with  every  annoyance  and  privation. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  llth  July,  General  Garnett 
received  a  despatch  from  Colonel  Pegram,  reporting  the  cap 
ture  of  a  United  States  soldier,  who  had  given  information 
that  General  M'Clellan,  with  nine  regiments,  had  arrived  near 
Rich  Mountain,  and  had  given  orders  for  the  attack  to  com- 
mence  on  the  following  day;  further,  that  General  Kose- 
crans,  with  4,000  men,  was  manoauvring  in  his  rear,  to  cut 
off  any  retreat  that  might  be  attempted  on  the  part  of  Gene 
ral  Garnett ;  that  consequently  he,  Colonel  Pegram,  had  or 
dered  Colonel  Scott's  regiment  to  take  up  a  good  position, 
there  to  await  the  enemy's  approach. 

On  the  receipt  of  Colonel  Pegrarn's  despatch  General  Gar 
nett  sent  him  orders  to  hold  his  position  against  all  odds,  and 
to  defend  it  to  the  last  man. 

Colonel  Pegram  had  scarcely  got  his  troops  placed  ready 
for  action,  when  General  M'Clellan's  men,  with  a  loud  cheer, 
rushed  forward  from  a  defile  and  attacked  the  Colonel  in  his 
excellent  position.  At  this  moment  the  artillery  opened  fire, 
which  was  reechoed  by  all  the  mountains  round.  It  was  a 
fine  military  spectacle.  The  thunder  of  the  guns,  the  break 
ing  of  the  branches  of  the  trees  as  they  were  smashed,  the 
cheers  of  the  enthusiastic  Federal  troops,  the  crack  of  the 
rifles,  the  beating  of  drums  and  clanging  of  trumpets :  in 
short,  the  whole  battle  ground  and  its  vicinity  offered  a  pic 
ture  such  as  would  be  indelibly  impressed  upon  the  memory 
of  a  soldier.  The  battle  had  waged  for  nearly  two  hours  on 
this  side  when  Colonel  Pegram  began  to  feel  that  he  could 
not  hold  his  ground  much  longer.  He  therefore  endeavored 
to  retreat,  as  his  men  were  tired  and  their  ammunition  nearly 
expended. 

General  M'Clellan,  however,  was  by  no  means  inclined  to 
lose  the  ground  he  had  already  gained,  and  thus  Colonel  Pe 
gram  had  no  other  alternative  than  to  fall  at  his  post  or  sur- 


56  WAR    PICTUEES. 

render.  Pegram  adopted  the  latter  alternative,  and  surren 
dered  his  post  with  guns  and  baggage. 

General  M'Clellan,  however,  was  not,  as  yet,  satisfied  with 
the  result  of  the  day's  work.  He  hourly  expected  the  ad 
vance  of  General  Rosecrans,  but  he  found  that  on  this  occa- 
sion  he  had  overrated  his  activity.  Rosecrans  proved  timid 
at  this  emergency  :  he  was  swayed  by  doubts  ;  he  first  march 
ed,  then  halted,  as  if  he  did  not  quite  comprehend  the  com 
pleteness  of  M'Clellan's  plans.  If  he  had  performed  his  part 
as  well  as  that  General  did  his,  not  one  man  of  General  Gar- 
nett's  corps  would  have  brought  the  news  of  its  defeat  to  Rich 
mond  ;  the  whole  corps  would  have  been  annihilated  or  made 
prisoners. 

As  soon  as  General  M'Clellan  had  made  Colonel  Pegram's 
troops  lay  down  their  arms,  he  proceeded  to  carry  out  his 
-  manoeuvre  without  delay,  without  waiting  for  General  Rose 
crans,  and  accordingly  advanced  to  attack  the  forces  under 
General  Garnett. 

When  General  Garnett  received  the  unexpected  news  of 
the  capitulation  of  Colonel  Pegram,  he,  fearing  the  energy 
and  determination  of  M'Clellan,  ordered  the  position  on  Lau 
rel  Hill  to  be  abandoned,  and  in  all  haste  fell  back  on  Huttons- 
ville.  Colonel  Scott,  who,  with  his  regiment,  had  received 
orders  to  prevent  the  advance  of  General  Rosecrans,  imme 
diately  on  receiving  intelligence  of  Colonel  Pegram's  capitula 
tion,  hastily  left  his  position  and  withdrew  to  a  more  respect 
able  distance  from  the  enemy.  Even  now,  if  General  Rose 
crans  had,  in  the  spirit  of  a  brave  and  intelligent  officer,  car 
ried  out  the  plan  agreed  upon,  and  advanced  to  the  attack, 
there  was  still  plenty  of  time  for  him  to  take  a  brilliant  part 
in  the  conclusion  of  the  action.  Colonel  Scott's  rapid  flight 
must  have  dispelled  any  doubts  he  might  have  entertained 
respecting  the  inexperience  and  bad  equipment  of  his  troops. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  conduct  of  Rosecrans  on 
this  occasion  offers  a  remarkable  contrast  to  that  of  General 
M'Clellan. 


FIGHT  AT   CAERICK'S  FOED.  57 

General  Garnett  was  placed  in  a  desperate  position  by 
M'Clellan's  bold  advance  and  Colonel  Pegram's  capture.  In 
his  retreat  on  Huttonsville  he  found  that,  owing  to  Colonel 
Scott's  somewhat  too  hasty  retreat,  he  would  have  to  force 
his  way  over  the  best  practicable  mountain  passes  to  Hardy 
County. 

The  retreat  was  effected  in  some  order,  although  the  roads 
were  scarcely  wide  enough  to  allow  a  cart  to  pass ;  and  on 
the  following  morning,  the  army,  after  a  most  fatiguing  march, 
reached  Little  Cheat,  where  officers  and  men  laid  down  upon 
the  grass  to  restore  themselves,  in  some  degree,  from  the 
fatigue  they  had  undergone. 

They  had  scarcely  been  encamped  one  hour,  when  a  roll  of 
musketry  along  the  whole  line  of  outposts  announced  that  the 
indefatigable  enemy  was  already  upon  them,  and  had  renewed 
the  attack. 

Without  allowing  his  tired  soldiers  a  moment's  respite, 
M'Clellan  hotly  pursued  our  army,  and  although  continually 
checked  and  kept  at  bay,  by  our  gallant  reserve,  still  con 
tinued  the  attack  with  unabated  energy.  Without  hesitation, 
he  boldly  gave  battle  at  every  point ;  and  although  the  fight 
ing  cannot  be  called  more  than  skirmishing  on  a  large  scale, 
it,  nevertheless,  lasted  throughout  the  day. 

In  the  evening  the  news  came  in  that  a  company  of  a 
Georgia  regiment  had  been  cut  off  by  the  enemy  and  made 
prisoners. 

This  little  episode  is  known  by  the  name  of  Battle  of  Car- 
rick's  Ford.  M'Clellan  followed  it  up,  and  drove  our  troops 
from  their  covered  position  across  the  river,  and  captured  the 
greater  portion  of  our  baggage. 

The  activity  displayed  by  the  General  on  this  occasion  is 
deserving  of  high  praise.  Nothing  seemed  to  stand  in  his 
way  ;  despite  the  heavy,  intermittent  rain,  the  execrable  roads, 
his  troops  displayed  a  fortitude  and  an  energy  that  commands 
admiration.  For  two  days,  with  indefatigable  determination, 


58  WAR    PICTURES. 

he  followed  close  upon  our  heels.  Whenever  we  sought  a 
few  moments'  rest,  we  were  aroused  by  the  fire  of  his  rifle 
men  at  our  outposts  ;  and  the  bullets,  which  were  flying  about 
in  all  directions,  made  our  position  anything  but  comfortable. 

As  soon  as  we  had  got  our  artillery  safely  over  Carrick's 
Ford,  Colonel  Tagliaferro  was  ordered  to  occupy  the  high 
banks  of  the  river  with  his  regiment,  and  to  keep  the  enemy 
occupied  as  long  as  possible,  so  that  our  troops,  who  were 
quite  worn  out,  might  get  some  rest.  Colonel  Tagliaferro  had 
scarcely  taken  up  his  position  when  the  advanced  skirmishers 
of  the  enemy  appeared  in  view.  At  first  our  men  fancied  that 
they  were  the  Georgia  troops  supposed  to  have  been  cut  off, 
and  they  welcomed  them  with  a  loud  cheer ;  but  when,  in 
stead  of  a  courteous  response  to  this  compliment,  an  un 
friendly  shower  of  bullets  was  sent  as  a  greeting,  knocking 
over  many  of  our  men,  the  mistake  was  discovered  somewhat 
too  late ;  but  the  enemy's  fire  was  promptly  returned.  The 
officer  in  command  of  the  enemy's  outpost  now  got  one  of  his 
batteries  into  position,  and  hammered  away  at  us  most  un 
mercifully.  Twice  he  attempted  to  cross  the  river,  but  was 
each  time  driven  back  by  our  men  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
Whilst  this  skirmishing  was  going  on,  General  Garnett  had 
ordered  the  guns  and  baggage  he  still  had  left  to  be  hurried 
forward,  and  sent  orders  to  the  troops  engaged  to  form  the 
rear  guard  of  the  retreat. 

Our  retreat  was  effected  without  much  opposition,  as  the 
enemy,  probably  exhausted  by  fighting  and  forced  marches, 
and  by  our  energetic  resistance,  needed  rest.  At  the  second 
ford,  a  short  distance  beyond  the  first,  General  Garnett  was 
shot  by  one  of  the  enemy's  riflemen.  This  officer  had  scarcely 
got  his  troops  across  the  river,  when  he  ordered  a  company 
of  the  23d  Virginia  regiment  to  occupy  the  bushes  along  the 
bank,  and  promised  that  he  himself  would  take  the  command 
of  the  company  charged  with  the  defence  of  the  ford.  At  the 
same  time,  firing  was  heard  in  the  rear  of  our  army.  The 


DEATH  OF  GENERAL  GARNETT.  59 

enemy  must  have  outflanked  us,  and  a  panic  ensued  in  our 
rear  guard.  General  Garnett,  however,  remained  calm  and 
unconcerned.  He  ordered  the  soldiers  to  remain  firm,  and  to 
retreat  without  fear.  He  had  scarcely  given  the  order  when 
he  sunk  to  the  earth,  shot  through  the  body  by  a  bullet.  One 
of  the  enemy's  riflemen  had  fired  the  fatal  shot  which  de 
prived  us  of  one  of  our  bravest  officers.  The  General's  horse 
galloped  off  up  the  road,  besprinkled  with  blood,  announcing 
the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  our  leader. 

General  JVPClellan,  who  might  feel  well  satisfied  with  the 
result  of  the  day,  here  gave  up  the  pursuit.  Having  defeated 
and  demoralized  our  army,  he  remained  master  of  a  large 
number  of  prisoners,  with  the  greater  portion  of  our  guns 
and  baggage  as  booty.  Verily  could  he  report  to  Washing 
ton  : 

"  Our  success  is  complete ;  secession  in  this  part  of  the 
country  is  stopped." 

The  loss  of  the  battle  of  Rich  Mountain  was  a  severe 
blow  to  our  young  army,  and  created  a  painful  sensation 
throughout  the  Southern  States.  If  the  Government  at  Wash 
ington  had  only  had  the  sense  to  take  advantage  of  this  suc 
cess,  it  would  probably,  in  a  short  time,  have  brought  back 
the  whole  of  Virginia  under  its  rule.  Instead  of  staking  its 
existence  and  intrusting  the  weal  and  woe  of  the  country  to 
the  hands  of  inexperienced  generals,  it  ought  at  once  to  have 
shown  its  appreciation  of  the  talent  and  energy  of  General 
M'Clellan,  and  without  hesitation  have  given  him  the  com 
mand  of  the  army  on  the  Potomac.  Had  it  done  so,  the  dis 
aster  at  Manassas,  so  detrimental  to  the  Federal  cause,  might 
have  been  avoided;  for,  after  the  successes  achieved  by 
M'Clellan  in  the  western  portion  of  Virginia,  he  would  have 
been  received  by  the  troops  of  the  Potomac,  not  as  a  stran 
ger,  but  as  an  old  acquaintance,  with  confidence  and  enthu 
siasm.  The  soldiers  would  then  have  had  a  commander  whose 
success  and  devotion  must  have  inspired  them  with  respect, 


60  WAK    PICTUEES. 

and  they  would  have  fulfilled  their  hard  duties  with  cheerful 
ness  and  zeal. 

That  the  Government  at  Washington  was  aware  of 
M'Clellan's  talents  is  proved  by  the  fact  that,  when  seriously 
pressed  and  alarmed,  the  command  of  the  army  of  the  Poto 
mac  was  offered  to  him  at  a  time  when  that  army  was  all 
but  destroyed,  and  Washington  itself  in  danger  of  being  cap 
tured  by  the  Confederates.  Then,  as  we  shall  presently  see, 
when  no  one  had  the  courage  to  rally  the  army  which  had 
been  so  terribly  cut  up  at  Manassas,  when  many  a  bold  hero 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  kept  aloof,  he  came  forward  as  a 
saviour  of  his  country's  cause,  to  fill  up  the  sad  void  caused 
by  a  disastrous  defeat.  By  prudence  and  determination  he 
soon  succeeded  in  again  forming  an  army  which,  by  its  extent 
and  efficiency,  created  considerable  alarm  in  the  South.  But 
the  enemy  they  had  most  cause  to  fear  was  General  M'Clel- 
lan  himself,  the  ablest  and  best  officer  of  the  Union,  whose 
military  qualities  commanded  the  respect  of  his  opponents. 


THE   POTOMAC.  61 


CHAPTER    VII. 

MOVEMENTS  ON  THE  POTOMAC. 

Harper's  Ferry— General  Johnston  joins  the  Confederacy— Position  of  the  troops 
on  the  Potomac — Harper's  Ferry  evacuated — The  railway  bridge  blown  np — 
Colonel  Jackson  operates  against  General  Patterson — Battle — Patterson's  cun 
ning — Manoeuvre  to  weaken  General  Beauregard's  main  army — Johnston's  po- 
eition. 

THE  war  now  began  to  develop  itself  with  activity  on  the  Po 
tomac,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Harper's  Ferry,  which 
had  been  abandoned  by  the  Federal  troops.  General  Joseph 
Johnston,  who  previously  had  held  the  rank  of  Quartermas 
ter-General  in  the  United  States  army,  tendered  his  resigna 
tion  as  soon  as  the  war  commenced,  and  placed  himself  at  the 
disposal  of  the  Confederate  Government,  which  did  not  hesi 
tate  for  a  moment  to  accept  his  services,  and  intrusted  him 
with  the  command  of  the  important  post  of  Harper's  Ferry. 
On  the  27th  of  May,  1861,  General  Beauregard  was  relieved 
of  his  command  at  Charleston,  and  was  at  first  ordered  to 
proceed  on  service  to  Corinth,  in  Mississippi ;  but  whilst  on 
his  way  to  Richmond  he  received  counter  orders,  and  was  ap 
pointed  to  the  command  of  the  Confederate  army,  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

General  Johnston's  whole  force  at  Harper's  Ferry  con 
sisted  of  thirteen  regiments  of  infantry,  ten  companies  of 
cavalry,  and  seven  companies  of  artillery ;  doubtless  a  re- 


62  WAR    PICTUKES. 

spectable  force.  His  duty  was  to  watch  both  banks  of  the 
Potomac,  and  to  drive  back  any  attempted  advance  of  the 
enemy  in  that  quarter.  Having  reconnoitred  the  whole 
neighborhood  he  resolved  to  maintain  his  position  as  long 
as  the  Government  should  deem  it  necessary  for  him  to  do  so. 

The  demonstrations  of  the  United  States  troops  were 
chiefly  confined  to  outpost  skirmishes,  and  their  plans  de 
pended  upon  the  movements  of  General  M'Clellan,  who  was 
to  push  forward  with  his  corps  cTarmce  into  the  valleys  of 
Virginia.  General  Patterson,  who  was  posted  with  his  troops 
in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  also  waited  for  General 
M'Clellan's  movements,  previously  to  advancing  by  Harper's 
Ferry  on  Winchester,  to  form  a  junction  with  M'Clellan's 
army.  On  the  13th  of  June  our  outposts  announced  the  ap 
proach  of  General  M'Clellan's  troops.  A  detachment  was 
at  once  ordered  forward  to  stop  him  in  his  advance,  and  on 
the  15th  of  June,  early  in  the  morning,  the  order  was  given 
to  evacuate  Harper's  Ferry,  and  to  fall  back  on  Winchester. 
The  day  after  the  order  had  been  given  for  the  evacuation  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  one  of  those  painful  catastrophes  occurred, 
which  always  follow  in  the  wake  of  war.  All  the  able-bodied 
inhabitants  took  to  flight,  and  preparations  were  made  to  give 
up  the  whole  place  to  destruction.  The  first  prey  to  demoli 
tion  was  that  wonderfully  constructed  railway  bridge  which 
here  spans  the  broad  stream  of  the  Potomac.  At  a  given 
signal  this  structure  was  blown  up  into  the  air  with  a  terrific 
explosion.  All  the  buildings  connected  with  it,  the  station^ 
engines,  locomotives,  warehouses,  as  well  as  a  flourishing 
town,  with  all  its  trade  and  prosperity,  were  condemned  to 
destruction. 

It  was  a  sad  spectacle  to  see  the  columns  of  flame  and 
smoke  rolling  upward  ;  and  with  a  feeling  of  sadness  I  turned 
away  from  this  deplorable  spectacle  of  ruin,  and  rode  after 
the  troops,  which  in  dense  bodies  were  marching  along  the 
Martinsburg  road.  The  object  of  this  flank  movement  was 


JACKSON'S  ADVANCE.  63 

to  get  between  Winchester  and  the  army  of  General  Patter 
son,  which  was  now  crossing  the  Potomac  at  William's  Ford. 
Patterson,  hearing  of  our  evacuation  of  Harper's  Ferry, 
ordered  his  troops  to  cross  the  Potomac  in  all  haste  to  see  if 
he  could  not  arrive  in  time  to  save  something. 

General  Johnston  quietly  continued  his  march  to  Win 
chester,  where  it  was  very  easy  for  him  to  hold  General 
M' del  Ian  in  check,  as  also  to  prevent  any  further  advance  of 
Patterson,  whilst  at  the  same  time  it  was  very  easy  for  him 
to  form  a  junction  with  General  Beauregard,  who  was 
stationed  at  Manassas  Gap. 

Advices,  howrever,  which  we  received  from  Maryland,  gave 
us  certain  information  that  General  Patterson  intended  to 
make  another  manoeuvre,  and  induced  General  Johnston  to 
direct  Colonel  "  Stonewall "  Jackson  to  advance  with  his 
brigade  to  the  vicinity  of  Martinsburg,  to  support  Colonel 
Stuart,  who,  with  his  regiment  of  cavalry,  was  acting  as  a 
corps  of  observation. 

On  the  2d  July,  General  Patterson  again  crossed  the  Po. 
tomac.  Colonel  Jackson  carried  out  the  instructions  he  had 
received  to  the  letter,  and  retired  with  his  troops.  The  ad 
vanced  guard  of  General  Patterson's  division,  fancying  that 
Jackson's  brigade  had  taken  to  flight,  made  rather  too  hasty  a 
pursuit.  Colonel  Jackson  took  two  battalions  of  the  5th  Vir 
ginia  regiment  and  a  six-pounder  battery,  and  placed  them  in 
a  most  advantageous  position,  where  his  small  force  was  well 
covered.  He  then  accepted  the  battle  that  was  offered  him, 
and  it  was  not  until  he  feared  that  his  communication  with 
the  main  army  might  be  cut  off  that  he  retired,  quietly  and 
unmolested,  taking  with  him  fifty-three  prisoners.  As  soon 
as  General  Johnston  wras  informed  of  Colonel  Jackson's  com 
bat,  he  hastened  to  offer  General  Patterson  battle.  He  took 
up  a  position  five  miles  from  Martinsburg,  which  was  occu 
pied  by  the  Federal  troops,  and  waited  patiently  four  days 
for  the  appearance  of  General  Patterson.  The  latter,  how- 


64  WAR    PICTURES. 

ever,  had  neither  the  courage  nor  the  inclination  to  return  the 
compliment  and  accept  the  challenge  of  Johnston,  although 
his  troops  numbered  nearly  double  those  of  his  opponent. 
After  waiting  in  vain,  General  Johnston  ordered  his  troops, 
who  were  eager  for  battle,  back  to  Winchester.  They  had, 
however,  scarcely  reached  their  old  quarters  when  the  corps 
of  observation  of  Colonel  Stuart  announced  the  advance  of  the 
enemy  under  General  Patterson.  Johnston,  delighted,  hoped 
now  to  cross  swords  with  him.  At  Bunker's  Hill,  about 
seven  miles  from  Winchester,  Patterson  again  came  to  a  halt, 
and  remained  there  quietly  till  the  7th  July. 

General  Patterson  then  made  preparations  as  if  it  was  his 
intention  to  attack  our  left  wing,  but  General  Johnston  now 
guessed  what  his  plans  were,  and  saw  through  his  subtlety. 
The  sole  object  of  the  operations  and  movements  of  the  enemy 
was  to  keep  Johnston  at  Winchester,  in  order  that  General 
Beauregard  might  be  exposed  to  the  main  body  of  the  United 
States  army,  which,  under  the  command  of  Major-General 
McDowell,  was  concentrated  near  Manassas.  Johnston  now 
placed  his  army  in  such  a  position  that  on  the  first  notification 
from  General  Beauregard  he  should  be  able  to  advance  di 
rectly  on  Manassas,  and  thus  Patterson's  very  clever  plans, 
on  which  he  had  so  confidently  calculated,  were  not  attended 
with  any  result. 


BULL  KTJN.  65 


LIBRAE  Y 

UNIVERSITY   OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BULL    RUN. 

Preparations  of  the  hostile  armies— Strength  of  the  Federal  forces— The  decisive 
moment  approaches— M'Dowell's  attack— Inexperience  of  the  artillery— Gen 
eral  Bonham— Longstreet's  brigade  at  Blackburn  Fort— Energetic  attack  of 
the  Federals— Progress  of  the  fight— Object  of  the  battle  to  try  the  strength 
of  both  armies. 

AT  the  commencement  of  July,  1861,  two  of  the  largest 
armies  which  America  ever  "beheld  were  ranged  in  hostile 
positions  at  a  short  distance  opposite  each  other,  and  awaited 
with  eager  anxiety  the  approach  of  the  sanguinary  day  when 
North  and  South  were  to  measure  their  strength.  The 
Northern  troops  thought  themselves  already  sure  of  victory, 
as  they  fancied  it  would  be  an  easy  task  to  disperse  the 
Southern  army,  and  to  advance  victoriously  without  much 
obstacle  to  Richmond,  there  to  hoist  again  the  star-spangled 
banner  of  the  great  Republic.  This  opinion  was  shared  by 
many  members  of  Congress  who,  it  may  be  supposed,  ought 
to  have  exercised  a  wiser  judgment.  That  the  whole  affair 
would  be  over  in  twelve  or  fourteen  days  was  considered 
certain.  As  regards  the  equipment  of  the  great  Federal  army, 
nothing  had  been  neglected  by  the  Government  to  place  it 
upon  the  footing  of  any  European  army  of  the  same  size.  It 
was  provided  with  excellent  artillery,  and  contained,  more 
over,  bodies  of  regular  troops  which  the  Government  had 
collected  together  from  all  its  extended  territories — the  Rocky 


66  WAR    PICTURES. 

Mountains,  St.  Louis,  Jefferson  Bamicks,  Fortress  Monroe, 
&c. — and  this  fact  gave  a  sort  of  prestige  to  this  army. 

As  regards  its  strength,  if  we  do  not  err,  we  should  esti 
mate  it  at  50,000  men,  inclusive  of  nine  companies  of  dragoons 
of  the  United  States  regular  army,  and  a  park  of  artillery,  of 
between  fifty  and  sixty  pieces,  nearly  all  rifled  cannon. 

This  imposing  force  was  placed  under  the  command  of  a 
leader  who  throughout  the  whole  of  the  United  States  enjoyed 
the  reputation  of  a  soldier  of  the  highest  military  genius,  Gen 
eral  M'Dowell.  This  reputation  having  for  its  foundation  the 
success  he  had  gained  at  the  Military  College  at  "West  Point. 

General  Beauregard  was  perfectly  well  informed  of  all  that 
was  going  on  in  General  M'Dowell's  army,  and  of  the  inten-. 
tion  of  the  enemy  to  force  their  way  to  Richmond ;  every 
precaution  had  therefore  been  taken  by  him  to  prevent  that 
plan  being  carried  out.  It  was  a  most  critical  moment  for 
the  Confederate  army  ;  for,  if  they  were  beaten,  they  had  no 
more  resources  for  carrying  on  the  war  to  fall  back  upon. 

What  Schiller's  William  Tell  says  to  his  arrow,  Beaure 
gard  might  well  have  said  of  his  army — 

:'  Should  it  fall  harmless  from  my  hand, 
I  hare  not  a  second  at  command ;  " 

and,  truly,  if  the  army  of  the  Confederate  host  were  beaten 
they  could  scarcely  manage  to  bring  another  army  into  the 
field.  Moreover,  what  would  have  been  the  effect  in  Europe 
if  the  South  should  be  defeated?  The  leaders  of  the  Confed 
erate  army  must  have  had  an  anxious  moment  when  they 
considered  all  the  circumstances  which  seemed  to  combine  for 
their  destruction !  It  must  not  be  forgotten,  too,  that  it  was 
here  for  the  first  time  that  the  elite  of  the  two  hostile  armies 
stood  opposite  each  other. 

What  changes  had  taken  place  in  a  short  lapse  of  time ! 
For  more  than  eighty  years  these  same  enemies,  who  now 
looked  at  each  other  with  feelings  of  bitter  animosity,  had  led 


FIGHT  AT  BULL  EUN.  67 

together  the  life  of  peaceful  citizens,  and  had  made  themselves 
but  little  acquainted  with  the  art  of  war,  for  the  war  in  Mex 
ico  was  comparatively  insignificant.  And  now  this  people, 
who  were  bound  together  by  brotherly  ties,  who  had  the  same 
interests  in  common,  are  suddenly  split  into  two  factions, 
arrayed  as  mortal  enemies  against  each  other.  "On  to 
Eichmond  "  is  the  battle  cry  of  one  party ;  "  Independence  or 
Death  "  that  of  the  other. 

At  Bull  Run  these  exasperated  warriors  met,  indeed,  but 
for  a  short  time.  The  battle  did  not  last  long,  but  was  fierce 
enough  to  show,  on  a  small  scale,  how  the  hostile  factions 
would  exert  their  energies  to  make  some  future  battle  a  deci 
sive  one.  The  engagement  at  Bull  Run  may,  in  fact,  be 
likened  to  an  overture  before  the  great  spectacle  of  war, 
which,  in  a  short  time,  was  to  be  performed  at  Manassas. 

Bull  Run  forms  the  north  frontier  of  the  county  which 
separates  it  from  Fairfax,  and  on  its  smiling  banks,  three 
miles  north  of  the  junction  of  the  Manassas  Gap,  and1  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railway,  was  fought  this  memorable 
engagement,  on  the  18th  of  July.  Bull  Run  is  a  small  river 
which,  at  this  point,  runs  from  west  to  east,  and  lower  down 
joins  the  waters  of  the  Occoquan  river.  Fine,  open,  cheerful 
roads  intersect  the  country  here,  nearly  in  every  direction. 
The  banks  of  the  river  are  rocky  and  steep,  but  provided 
with  a  great  number  of  fords,  which  from  olden  time  had 
always  been  in  use.  Mitchell's  Ford  is  about  halfway  between 
Centreville  and  Manassas.  Each  road  is  about  six  miles  in 
length. 

To  oppose  the  enemy's  movements,  who,  as  General 
Beauregard  suspected,  were  operating  on  Manassas,  he  with 
drew  his  farthest  advanced  troops  from  the  lines  of  Bull  Run 
more  toward  his  centre.  On  the  morning  of  the  17th  July, 
Beauregard's  troops  had  taken  up  a  position  from  Mills  Ford 
to  Stone  Bridge,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles.  On  the 
following  day,  General  M'Dowell  made  preparations  to  at- 


68  WAK    PICTURES. 

tack  Bonham's  brigade.  He  advanced  large  masses  of  infan 
try,  covered  by  some  batteries  of  artillery.  At  noon,  the 
enemy  opened  a  heavy  artillery  fire  from  rifled  cannon. 
Owing  to  the  inexperience  of  the  artillerymen,  who  were  now 
probably  for  the  first  time  in  action,  they  did  but  very  little 
damage  to  our  troops.  It  was  only  after  they  had  fired  some 
hundred  aimless  shots,  that  they  began  gradually  to  acquire 
coolness  and  precision  in  pointing  their  guns,  and  their  fire 
then  occasioned  deadly  havoc  amongst  our  men.  Our  bat 
teries,  as  well  as  our  troops,  kept  very  quiet,  but  nevertheless 
impatiently  waited  the  moment  for  orders  to  engage. 

After  a  few  moments,  a  light  field  battery  of  the  enemy 
advanced  to  within  a  much  nearer  position.  At  the  same 
time,  General  Bonham  ordered  one  of  his  batteries  to  drive 
back  that  of  the  enemy,  which  order  was  so  promptly  and 
energetically  obeyed,  that  after  a  short  artillery  duel,  it  was 
compelled  to  relinquish  its  position  in  all  haste.  The  bold 
attempt  they  had  made  was  thus  completely  defeated  by  our 
troops.  The  wonderful  coolness  and  self-possession  which 
our  battery  displayed  in  this  affair,  excited  the  admiration  of 
our  officers,  and  General  Bonham  promoted  the  officer  in 
command  to  the  rank  of  Major  on  the  spot.  Bonham  now 
promptly  withdrew  the  battery  from  the  position  it  had 
taken,  and  placed  it  at  Mitchell's  Ford,  where  its  guns  could 
baffle  any  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  cross. 

Whilst  this  little  cannon  duel  was  going  on,  General 
M'Dowell  threw  forward  large  bodies  of  infantry,  cavalry, 
and  artillery,  upon  Blackburn  Ford,  where  Longstreet's  bri 
gade  was  stationed,  with  orders  to  hold  the  position.  Gen 
eral  Longstreet,  informed  of  the  advance  of  this  large  body  of 
the  enemy,  withdrew  his  outposts  quickly  behind  the  ford, 
whilst  he  manned  the  whole  length  of  the  south  bank  of  the 
stream  with  a  thick  line  of  sharpshooters.  The  enemy's 
masses,  sheltered  by  the  undulating  ground,  were  enabled  to 
come  up  within  100  yards  of  our  riflemen,  whilst  the  enemy's 


FIGHT   AT   BULL   KUN.  69 

batteries  attached  to  both  flanks,  allowed  the  masses  of  infan 
try  to  get  up  close  to  us,  under  the  protection  of  their  mur 
derous  fire.  As  soon  as  the  enemy's  columns  had  deployed 
under  cover  of  a  heavy  fire  of  their  guns,  which  they  did  with 
great  coolness,  although  it  was  probably  the  first  time  these 
regiments  had  been  under  fire,  they  were  formed  into  an  at 
tacking  column,  and  with  a  loud  cheer  rushed  on  Longstreet's 
position,  who,  however,  received  them  with  equal  coolness 
and  bravery. 

It  was  at  this  point  that,  for  the  first  time,  these  two  hos 
tile  armies  actually  came  into  contact.  The  conflict  which 
now  ensued  became  every  moment  more  deadly,  and  the 
mutual  animosity  of  the  men  was  increased  to  fury.  The 
fighting  had  lasted  already  two  hours,  and  yet  neither  party 
had  gained  one  inch  of  ground.  Every  tree,  every  rock, 
every  hollow  was  occupied  by  our  Texan  sharpshooters,  who 
poured  their  deadly  bullets  into  the  enemy's  ranks  with  fear 
ful  havoc.  At  last,  Longstreet's  division  began  to  show 
symptoms  of  fatigue,  and  slightly  wavered.  At  this  critical 
juncture,  General  Early's  brigade  came  up  in  the  nick  of  time, 
and  by  this  needful  reinforcement  the  balance  in  the  battle 
was  reestablished.  Ere  long,  the  enemy's  general  became 
aware  that  he  could  do  nothing  against  our  solid  masses.  He 
therefore  retired  his  troops  from  the  line  of  battle,  and  con 
fined  his  action  to  an  artillery  fire,  which  now  opened  on  both 
sides,  and  afforded  us  the  opportunity  of  ascertaining  our 
superiority  over  the  enemy  in  this  arm.  The  commanders 
of  the  batteries  could  only  take  as  a  guide  for  their  aim  the 
glittering  bayonets  above  the  brushwood,  and  our  men  kept 
up  an  incessant  fire  amongst  these  partly  concealed  foes  with 
rifled  cannon.  But  we  had  scarcely  thrown  the  enemy's 
columns  into  some  slight  confusion,  when  a  Rhode  Island  bat 
tery  came  up  at  a  trot  within  800  yards,  and  poured  in  a  hail 
of  projectiles  upon  us,  with  the  most  destructive  effect. 

Many  of  our  best  horses  having  now  been  killed,  our  bat- 


70  WAR    PIOTUEES. 

teries  were  withdrawn  from  this  devastating  fire,  while  those 
of  the  enemy  still  continued  to  pound  away  for  a  time ;  but 
gradually  the  fire  slackened,  and  when  night  threw  her  veil 
over  the  earth,  the  roar  of  artillery  had  ceased  altogether. 
Thus  terminated  the  engagement  of  Bull  Run,  which  I  looked 
upon  as  the  prelude  to  a  greater  battle  that  must  need  to  be 
fought  between  the  two  hostile  armies.  The  battle  of  Bull 
Run  had  no  other  object  than  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy's  general  to  cross  the  river,  and  to  try  the  mettle  oi 
his  troops.  Although  he  did  not  succeed  in  crossing  the  ford, 
he  nevertheless  acquired  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  bravery 
and  self-possession  of  his  troops,  and,  at  the  same  time,  no 
little  respect  for  his  opponents,  whom  he  could  no  longer  look 
upon  as  a  despicable  foe. 

Both  armies  retired  as  if  to  recruit  their  strength,  and  to 
nerve  themselves  to  the  utmost  for  the  coming  great  struggle, 
which  it  was  hoped  would  decide  the  question  of  the  existence 
of  the  Confederacy.  The  game  had  begun  in  earnest ;  what 
would  be  the  issue  of  the  throw  1 


THE   BATTLE   OF   MANASSAS.  71 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE     BATTLE     OF     MANASSAS. 

*•  • 

Movements  of  the  Confederate  army— Patterson  perplexed— Espionage— Federal 
camp  scenes — Scott's  inactivity  on  the  Potomac — Morning  of  the  hattle — A 
glance  at  both  armies— The  Confederate  generals— Strength  of  the  two  armies— 
The  battle  commences— Advance  of  the  enemy's  columns— Our  left  wing  at 
tacked — Fierce  engagement  on  the  plateau — General  attack — Beauregard  and 
Jackson  attack  the  enemy— Retreat— Heroism  of  Johnston— Corcoran's  Irish 
regiment — Generals  Fisher  and  Barton  are  killed — A  fruitless  struggle — Onco 
more  at  them— Stonewall  Jackson— A  fresh  massacre— Retreat— All  apparently 
lOBt — Arrival  of  Jeft'.  Davis — Jackson,  why  called  "  Stonewall" — Help  at  need  : 
Kirby  Smith  comes  up— The  decisive  blow— The  retreat— The  battle  field- 
Wounded  foes — A  horrible  scene— Hospitals  and  attendance — Plunderers — 
Results  of  the  battle  of  Manassas. 

IT  was  on  Sunday,  the  21st  of  July,  that  General  Scott  issued 
the  order  for  General  M'Dowell  to  advance  with  his  troops 
against  Manassas.  This  plan  of  operations  was  no  secret  to 
us.  For,  despite  the  severe  check  the  United  States  army 
met  with  at  Bull  Run,  very  little  foresight  was  shown  by  the 
Cabinet  at  Washington.  General  Beauregard  received  the 
very  earliest  information  from  a  friend  of  his  there,  and  had 
plenty  of  time  to  make  all  his  preparations.  He  promptly 
made  General  Johnston  acquainted  with  the  enemy's  inten 
tions,  and  requested  him  to  fall  back  on  Manassas  with  all  his 
troops,  to  form  a  junction  with  his  corps.  General  Johnston 
performed  this  march  in  the  most  masterly  manner.  In  or 
der  not  to  betray  his  retreat  to  the  enemy's  corps  under  Gen 
eral  Patterson,  stationed  at  Martinsburg,  he  ordered  Colonel 


'z  WAR    PICTURES. 

Stuart  to  make  a  reconnoissance  with  his  cavalry,  on  a  large 
scale,  to  induce  the  enemy  to  believe  that  Johnston  had  the 
intention  of  shortly  offering  battle.  Colonel  Stuart  carried 
out  his  instructions  with  such  intelligence  that  poor  General 
Patterson  was  at  his  wits'  end,  so  he  reported  Johnston's 
demonstrations  to  Washington,  and  pressed  for  reenforce- 
ments.  General  Scott  gave  credence  to  the  views  contained 
in  this  report,  and  chuckled  at  the  idea  that  Johnston  was 
thus  seriously  occupied  at  Winchester  with  Patterson,  as  he 
hoped  thereby  to  be  able  to  annihilate  Beauregard's  army  at 
Manassas,  and  strike  a  terrible  blow  at  the  Confederate  army. 
Johnston,  on  seeing  the  success  of  his  stratagem,  laughed  in 
his  sleeve,  and  quietly  took  his  departure  from  Winchester 
for  Manassas.  Kirby  Smith's  corps  alone,  with  ten  compa 
nies  of  cavalry,  was  left  behind,  with  orders  not  to  follow  till 
next  day. 

From  the  very  commencement  of  operations  the  Confed 
erates  enjoyed  a  decided  advantage  on  the  score  of  intelli 
gence  ;  and  so  it  now  happened  that  while  we  were  accurately 
informed  of  every  projected  movement  of  the  enemy,  Scott 
and  M'Dowell  on  the  other  hand  were  almost  completely  ig 
norant  of  our  plans  and  intentions.  They  had  not  the  slight 
est  notion  that  General  Johnston's  corps  had  two  days  pre 
viously  formed  a  junction  with  the  army  at  Manassas,  for, 
had  they  known  of  it,  the  corps  under  General  Patterson,  near 
Winchester — who  still  fancied  he  was  threatened  by  John 
ston's  army,  and  was  anxiously  expecting  an  attack — would 
surely  have  been  immediately  ordered  to  occupy  that  town 
and  make  a  demonstration  in  the  Shenandoah  valley.  Had 
this  really  been  done,  however,  the  enemy  would  have  cut  off 
all  our  supplies  from  that  rich  valley,  and  have  obstructed 
our  communications  in  that  direction.  But  the  United  States 
at  this  period  had  thought  proper  to  employ  several  generals 
who  were  content  to  draw  their  pay,  without  choosing  to  put 
themselves  much  out  of  the  way  in  the  performance  of  any 


GENERAL   SCOTT'S  CAMP.  73 

duty  that  required  exertion  or  the  exercise  of  great  precau 
tion,  so  confident  were  these  men  in  their  own  superior 
abilities. 

General  Scott's  headquarters  at  this  season  had  more  the 
appearance  of  a  great  fair  than  that  of  a  camp  of  soldiers. 
Thousands  of  spectators  had  thronged  there  with  the  view  of 
witnessing  the  bravery  of  the  Federal  troops,  and  the  inevit 
able  defeat  of  our  army.  Senators,  members  of  Congress, 
politicians,  clergymen,  journalists,  and  idlers  of  every  descrip 
tion,  even  women  (if  we  may  dare  to  rank  them  under  the 
latter  category)  had  then  and  there  gathered  together  to  wit 
ness  the  spectacle  of  the  grand  struggle  about  to  take  place, 
the  successful  issue  of  which,  and  the  glorious  results  that 
would  ensue,  every  one  of  the  motley  assemblage  confidently 
predicted.  Nothing  is  so  mischievous  to  an  army  in  the 
field  as  to  harbor  in  its  midst  so  many  useless  and  detrimen 
tal  elements.  General  Scott,  however,  it  is  certain,  took  no 
sort  of  measure  to  prevent  this  encumbering  crowd  of  visit 
ors  from  swarming  in  his  camp.  He  placidly  allowed  in 
quisitive  ladies  and  gentlemen  to  stroll  through  the  various 
encampments,  where  each  of  these  amateur  critics  was  eager 
to  display  his  or  her  copious  strategical  knowledge.  To  lis 
ten  to  the  boasting  rhodomontade,  and  other  absurdities  of 
these  people,  one  would  have  fancied  that  all  the  heroes  of 
ancient  and  modern  times  had  met  together  on  the  side  of  the 
Federals,  and  that  our  army  was  to  be  utterly  vanquished 
and  slaughtered  without  mercy,  down  to  the  lowest  drummer 
boy.  Every  one  of  these  declaimers  fancied  himself  for  the 
nonce  a  Hannibal  or  a  Napoleon,  and  disinterestedly  promul 
gated  his  ideas  for  the  benefit  of  all.  Whole  wagon-loads  of 
champagne  and  other  wines  found  their  way  to  the  camp  for 
the  great  jubilation  that  was  to  take  place  in  honor  of  the 
victory.  It  need  scarcely  be  remarked  that  all  this  was  det 
rimental  to  the  troops,  as  it  loosened  the  bonds  of  discipline 
and  strict  subordination,  and  lowered  the  standard  among 
4 


74  WAR    PICTURES. 

both  officers  and  men  of  those  essential  military  elements, 
coolness,  self-possession,  and  mutual  reliance.  The  whole 
matter  was  treated  by  the  generals  and  officers  with  danger 
ous  levity.  Buoyed  up  as  they  all  were  with  the  confident 
expectation — almost  amounting  to  conviction — that  the  scales 
of  war  were  already  turning  in  their  favor,  they  really  seemed 
to  be  incompetent  to  look  earnestly  ahead,  and  to  solve  with 
anything  like  accuracy  the  problematical  course  of  coming 
events. 

If  we  compare  with  the  above  picture  the  activity  and 
demeanor  of  the  United  States  troops  under  the  command  of 
General  M'Clellan  in  Western  Virginia — who,  when  cut  off 
from  all  communications,  deprived  of  the  means  of  corre 
spondence,  in  a  country  where  every  rock  and  every  hillock 
was  turned  into  a  fortification,  were  always  ready  for  action, 
day  and  night,  in  spite  of  all  sorts  of  fatigue  and  privation — 
what  a  contrast  does  it  not  offer  to  the  army  on  the  Potomac ! 
Nothing  was  more  noticeable  there  than  indolence,  with  an 
absence  of  military  order  and  discipline,  unless  it  was  the  os 
tentatious  display  of  a  variety  of  uniforms  combining  the 
quiet  costume  of  the  rough  hunter  just  arrived  from  the  far 
woods  of  Minnesota,  to  fight  for  the  stars  and  stripes,  with 
the  ridiculous  uniforms  of  the  so-called  Turcos,  Zouaves, 
Arabs,  and  other  theatrical  dresses  which  decked  the  persons 
of  their  strutting  owners. 

But  a  truce  to  this  description  of  a  scene  of  egregious 
folly ;  we  have  stated  enough  to  lay  bare  the  root  of  those 
weaknesses  and  errors  which  proved  the  destruction  of  the 
army  of  the  Potomac,  and  will  now  resume  our  narrative  of 
events. 

It  was,  as  we  have  already  stated,  on  the  21st  of  July, 
that  General  Scott  issued  the  order  to  General  M'Dowell  to 
advance  with  his  army  against  Manassas.  The  sun  rose  glo 
riously  in  the  cloudless  heavens  on  this  lovely  Sunday  morn 
ing,  and  its  rays  unmistakably  indicated  a  coming  hot  day. 


MORNING    OF   THE   BATTLE.  75 

Our  troops  had  quietly  partaken  of  their  breakfast ;  the  cler 
gymen  of  the  different  regiments  had  preached  their  sermons, 
and  prepared  the  soldiers  by  impressive  words  for  the  dread 
doings  that  would  be  enacted  on  this  eventful  day.  The  few 
remaining  moments  were  devoted  to  exchanging  words  of 
farewell  with  beloved  relatives  and  friends.  It  was  a  sad  and 
touching  spectacle  to  behold  sons  pressing  the  hands  of  their 
fathers,  brothers  those  of  brothers,  and  affectionately  embra 
cing  one  another,  perhaps  for  the  last  time !  Many  a  blessing 
followed  the  departing  columns ;  many  a  reiterated  farewell 
was  shouted  after  them  ;  many  a  tear  was  suppressed.  The 
troops  assembled  round  their  respective  standards,  and  took 
up  their  appointed  places.  Everything  was  done  earnestly 
and  seriously,  every  one  present  feeling  convinced  that  a 
great  and  decisive  moment  was  at  hand.  It  was  an  enliven 
ing  sight  to  behold  the  cavalry  regiments  rattle  past,  headed 
by  their  brave  commanders,  Stuart,  Ashby,  and  Davis.  The 
general  officers  had  assembled  round  Beauregard  and  John 
ston,  the  latter  of  whom  was,  in  reality,  commander-in-chief, 
but  he  nevertheless  left  the  command  to  General  Beauregard, 
as  it  was  he  who  had  prepared  all  the  plans  and  made  the  ne 
cessary  disposition  for  the  coming  struggle.  The  counte 
nances  of  the  generals  were  serious,  and  many  a  thoughtful 
glance  did  they  cast  upon  the  columns  as  they  marched  past. 
Finally,  their  horses  were  brought,  and  the  chiefs  mounted, 
dispersing  in  various  directions,  each  to  his  own  post. 

Though  prevented  by  a  fall  from  my  horse  from  taking 
any  active  part  for  the  last  few  days,  I  could  not  resist  the 
attraction  of  at  least  witnessing  the  battle.  Accompanied  by 
a  comrade,  Prince  de  Polignac,  lieutenant-colonel  of  artillery, 
on  General  Beauregard's  staff,  I  accordingly  proceeded  to  a 
hillock  where  a  heavy  battery  had  been  placed  in  position. 

It  was  one  of  those  clear  days  when  the  air  is  so  free  from 
mist  or  vapor,  as  to  allow  the  eye  to  discern  objects  at  the 
greatest  range,  and  from  our  position  we  could  distinguish  the 
most  distant  objects. 


76  WAR    PICTURES. 

In  front  of  us  was  extended  the  vast  plain  of  Manassas, 
covered  broadcast  with  innumerable  masses  of  gaily  dressed 
soldiers.  It  was  truly  a  magnificent  sight.  Stretched  out  be 
fore  us  lay  the  Federal  army,  its  long  wings  resting  upon 
gf eat  woods,  whose  dark  green  foliage  offered  a  fine  back 
ground  to  the  varied  uniforms  and  glancing  bayonets  arrayed 
in  front.  A  slight  breeze  brought  over  to  us  the  stirring 
melodies  of  their  numerous  bands,  resounding  cheerily  in  the 
morning  air.  This  brilliant  spectacle  of  warlike  array  be 
neath  our  feet  had  all  the  appearance  of  a  painted  panorama ; 
and,  fascinated  with  the  scene,  we  gazed  untiringly  upon  it, 
until  the  eager-looking  faces  around  us,  and  the  light  from  the 
gun  matches  in  the  batteries,  aroused  us  to  the  knowledge 
that,  in  a  very  short  time,  the  work  of  death  would  commence 
in  earnest. 

Si«-ns  of  active  movement  were  now  visible  in  the  masses 

t 

below.  Like  swarms  of  bees,  bodies  of  troops  kept  crossing 
each  other;  batteries,  ammunition  carts,  ambulances,  flew 
past,  marking  with  a  cloud  of  dust  the  road  each  had  taken. 
The  troops  took  up  their  ground  and  formed  slowly,  but 
steadily,  in  the  positions  assigned  to  them.  The  sun  shone 
with  increasing  splendor  on  the  scene,  while  a  fresh  breeze 
blew  playfully  over  the  plain  ;  and  the  heavens  looked  down 
smilingly,  as  if  utterly  unconscious  of  the  fearful  havoc  that 
must  ensue  from  the  sanguinary  work  about  to  commence. 
There  stood,  in  the  full  possession  of  life  and  youth — their 
breasts  heaving  with  hope  and  courage — thousands  who  in  a 
few  short  hours  would  be  swept  away  by  the  merciless  angel 
of  death— would  breathe  out  their  last  breath— and  with  their 
hearts'  blood  stain  the  green  summer  grass. 

The  picture  suddenly  changes,  and  the  poetical  coloring 
which  a  moment  before  pervaded  it  vanishes  before  the  roar 
of  artillery,  which  now  issues  with  fearful  violence  along  the 
whole  line. 

General    M'Dowell   had   received   orders   from   General 


TACTICS    OF   THE   CONFEDERATES.  77 

Scott  to  let  the  men  take  four  days'  rations  with  them,  on  the 
21st  of  July,  preparatory  to  his  taking  possession  of  Ma- 
nassas,  which  position  he  was  to  maintain  by  every  exertion 
in  his  power,  as  he  could  then  receive  his  supplies  per  railway 
from  Alexandria.  These  were  the  first  instructions  of  the 
Federal  generals  for  the  expected  battle  of  Manassas. 

Meanwhile  great  activity  prevailed  in  the  headquarters 
of  the  Confederate  army.  Our  chief,  Beauregard,  did  not 
exhibit  his  generalship  to  the  best  advantage,  having  pro 
posed  various  plans  to  his  generals,  which  they  could  not 
comprehend.  Thus,  when  Beauregard  learnt  that  General 
Scott  had  given  orders  to  M'Dowell  to  take  the  offensive  and 
offer  battle,  he  himself  wished  to  adopt  that  plan,  and  it  was 
only  by  General  Johnston's  interposition  that  the  idea  of  so 
injudicious  a  mano3uvre  was  abandoned.  Johnston  advo 
cated  defensive  tactics,  and  showed  in  the  clearest  manner 
that,  owing  to  the  actual  position  of  affairs,  we  ought  first  to 
await  the  shock  of  the  enemy  before  taking  the  offensive. 
Despite  these  arguments,  Beauregard  remained  unshaken  in 
his  opinion,  and  this  day  placed  his  talents  as  a  great  com 
mander  in  their  true  light. 

General  Johnston's  troops  advanced  in  dense  masses 
through  Ashby's  Gap,  establishing  a  communication  with 
Beauregard' s  corps  on  the  Potomac,  the  left  wing  of  which  it 
now  formed. 

General  Bee  then  occupied  the  advanced  posts  with  the  4th 
Alabama,  2d  and  llth  Mississippi,  and  the  2d,  4th,  5th, 
9th,  19th,  and  35th  Virginia  regiments,  so  as  to  allow  the 
remainder  of  the  army  time  to  effect  its  movements  unmo 
lested,  and  take  up  its  proper  positions. 

Swell's  brigade  had  taken  post  at  Union  Mill;  whilst 
General  Jones  occupied  M'Lane's  Ford ;  General  Longstreet 
Blackburn's  Ford ;  and  General  Bonham,  with  his  division, 
Mitchell's  Ford.  General  Coke  and  Colonel  Evans  were 
placed  at  the  extremity  of  the  right  wing,  and  Holmes's  and 


78  WAR    PICTURES. 

Early's  brigades  were  held  in  reserve,  ready  to  advance 
whenever  their  services  might  be  required.  The  centre  and 
flanks  were  covered  by  our  heavy  batteries. 

The  order  of  battle  this  day  comprised,  on  the  side  of  the 
Confederates,  including  Johnston's  corps  and  General  Kirby 
Smith's  division,  a  force  of  65,000  infantry,  4,000  cavalry, 
and  a  park  of  artillery  of  68  guns,  partly  rifled  and  partly 
smooth-bored  cannon.  Thus  we  were  numerically  in  greater 
force  than  the  enemy,  and  it  was  only  in  the  event  of  Patter 
son's  corps  coming  up  in  time  that  the  Federal  army  would 
have  outnumbered  ours.* 

The  Confederates  held  Bull  Run  river  to  the  extent  of 
from  nine  to  eleven  miles,  and  with  eager  impatience  awaited 
the  battle.  As  soon  as  the  enemy's  artillery  opened  fire 
generally  upon  our  line,  a  number  of  their  batteries  were 
needlessly  brought  into  play,  their  services  not  being  yet  re 
quired  or  likely  to  prove  useful.  But  the  men  were  ani 
mated  with  such  ardor  that  possibly  no  counter  order  could 
have  prevented  them  from  firing.  Perhaps  these  overzealous 
combatants  fancied  that  the  roar  of  their  guns  would  give 
courage  to  the  timid  and  hesitating.  Many  a  wondering 
glance  followed  the  balls  as  they  flew  over  our  heads,  and  it 
was  almost  ludicrous  to  see  the  men  duck  their  heads  at  a 
given  signal,  and  pay  a  respectful  salaam  to  the  iron  missile 
as  it  overshot  its  mark. 

After  the  batteries  had  maintained  a  steady  fire  for  some 
time,  without  either  army  showing  any  intention  of  coming 
to  closer  quarters,  General  Beauregard  rode  along  our  lines 
urging  the  men  to  display  unfaltering  bravery.  Just  then  a 
body  of  the  enemy's  infantry  was  seen  to  move  rapidly  from 
the  centre,  and  to  form  into  attacking  columns :  these  troops 


*  In  making  this  comparison  between  the  forces  of  the  hostile  armies,  it  is 
only  fair  to  state  that  about  half  of  the  Confederate  order  of  battle  as  above 
computed— that  is,  Kirby  Smith's  corps  of  some  30,000  men— did  not  arrive  in  the 
field  until  near  the  close  of  the  action. 


ADVANCE  OF  THE  FEDERALS.  79 

being  probably  sooner  tired  than  our  own,  of  the  cannonade, 
and  were  consequently  impatiently  eager  to  attack  us. 

This  was  a  moment  of  exciting  and  painful  suspense.  The 
military  bands  of  our  foes  struck  up  "  Yankee  Doodle "  to 
encourage  their  advancing  troops.  The  necessary  dispositions 
having  been  promptly  made,  their  columns  advanced  against 
a  small  group  of  houses  that  had  been  occupied  by  our  men, 
under  General  Evans,  to  whom  the  command  of  the  position 
had  a  few  hours  previously  been  transferred  from  the  hands 
of  General  Bee. 

About  noon  the  enemy  sent  their  sharpshooters  forward 
in  large  numbers,  and  these  kept  up  a  well-sustained  fire. 
Immediately  afterward  the  heads  of  the  attacking  columns 
came  into  view,  entering  the  battle  field  in  tolerably  good 
order,  but  not  with  sufficient  rapidity ;  a  few  minutes  later 
the  battle  raged  violently  in  this  quarter.  By  the  side  of  the 
cluster  of  houses  we  had  drawn  up  a  battery  of  sixteen  guns, 
and  these  dealt  death  and  destruction  amongst  the  ranks  of 
the  enemy.  The  Federal  troops,  however,  stood  our  fire 
with  great  steadiness ;  they  advanced  boldly,  and  drove  out  our 
men  from  the  houses  in  question. 

Beauregard  now  sent  Fisher  with  his  brigade  to  support 
them,  and  he  attacked  the  successful  assailants  with  such-  de 
termined  spirit  that  he  recovered  possession  of  the  houses, 
driving  the  enemy's  troops  before  him.  Scarcely,  however, 
had  our  troops  regained  ground,  when  General  Evans  issued 
an  order  that  Fisher's  brigade  on  the  right  should  manoeuvre 
toward  Longstreet's  division,  whilst  himself  would  endeavor 
to  maintain  the  position  that  had  been  recovered.  But  the 
enemy,  now  coming  up  with  strong  reinforcements,  and  sup 
ported  by  a  battery  of  horse  artillery,  made  a  desperate  on 
slaught  on  Evans's  division.  The  battle  at  this  point  was  now 
at  its  height.  In  vain  did  that  General  endeavor  to  maintain 
his  position  until  reinforcements  should  arrive.  The  enemy's 
leaders  were  indefatigable  in  urging  on  their  troops,  and  their 


80  WAR    PICTURES. 

attack  was  so  overpowering  that  our  men  were  at  length 
driven  back,  and  the  cluster  of  houses  once  more  fell  into  the 
hands  of  our  foes.  General  Evans  then  withdrew  reluctantly 
behind  the  batteries  with  his  shattered  force,  to  give  his  men 
time  to  draw  breath  and  recruit  themselves  after  their  hard 
toil  and  desperate  but  baffled  efforts  to  hold  their  ground. 

Whilst  this  minor  but  deadly  contest  was  going  on  on 
our  left,  General  Beauregard  about  one  o'clock  gave  the  order 
along  his  entire  line  to  advance.  General  Jackson,  with  his 
whole  division,  supported  by  that  of  Ewell,  then  made  a  despe 
rate  attack  upon  the  enemy's  centre.  The  collision  was  fearful. 
The  Federal  troops  held  their  ground  without  wavering,  and 
Jackson's  close  encounter  recoiled  before  the  dense  mass  of 
foes  opposed  to  him.  The  desperation  and  endurance  with 
which  both  sides  fought  at  this  point  entitled  them  to  high 
praise.  Despite  the  most  gallant  efforts  General  Jackson 
was  obliged  to  leave  the  field  with  his  mangled  division.  At 
this  conjuncture  General  Beauregard  made  his  appearance,  and 
in  person  led  Bee's  and  Early's  divisions  in  support ;  but  the 
men  now  seemed  discouraged,  and  advanced  reluctantly.  The 
enemy  then  attempted  to  strike  a  blow  at  our  left,  when 
Colonels  Stuart  and  Ashby,  at  the  head  of  their  cavalry, 
dashed  into  them  with  a  loud  cheer,  using  sword  and  revolver 
with  such  effect  that  they  cut  quite  through  them.  This  dash 
ing  and  successful  exploit  inspirited  our  troops  with  renewed 
courage.  Meanwhile  General  Jackson  had  again  collected 
his  forces  and  made  strenuous  efforts  to  redeem  his  mishap. 
Like  lions  his  men  rushed  headlong  upon  the  foe,  stemmed 
their  advance,  and  recovered  some  of  the  lost  ground. 

During  the  progress  of  these  operations,  those  of  our 
troops  on  the  left  wing  who  occupied  the  cluster  of  houses 
before  mentioned,  had  again  lost  their  position.  The  enemy 
tried  hard  to  derive  still  greater  advantage  from  this  further 
success,  and  accordingly  constructed  a  masked  battery  upon 
the  plateau  opposite  to  the  houses ;  and  they  succeeded,  in 


CEITICAL  POSITION   OF   OUR  ARMY.  81 

the  course  of  the  day,  in  posting,  at  this  critically  important 
point,  Eickett's  and  Griffin's  batteries.  As  soon  as  the  bat 
tery  was  planted,  it  opened  fire,  and  sent  forth  a  storm  of 
projectiles  amongst  our  unprotected  men.  The  havoc  which 
these  guns  caused  in  our  ranks  was  most  serious.  General 
Johnston,  feeling  that  the  plateau  was  easily  accessible, 
ordered  up  a  battery  of  twelve-pounder  rifled  cannon  from 
the  reserve,  and  gave  orders  that  the  enemy  should  be  driven 
from  that  point.  With  the  greatest  coolness  and  energy  the 
commander  of  our  battery  set  to  work ;  but  all  his  efforts 
failed  before  the  activity  of  the  enemy's  fire,  which  had  been 
concentrated  upon  our  guns  as  soon  as  the  commander  of  the 
hostile  battery  divined  our  intention.  Their  first  shot  killed 
the  artillery  officer  in  command,  besides  dismantling  two  of 
our  guns  and  killing  and  wounding  a  number  of  the  gunners. 
Our  position  at  this  part  of  the  field  was  very  critical.  As 
often  as  our  battalions  were  marshalled  in  order  to  advance 
to  the  attack,  their  columns  were  riddled  by  the  enemy's  shot, 
which  was  poured  in  with  such  deadly  effect  as  to  cause  dis 
order  and  confusion  in  our  ranks. 

General  Johnston  repeatedly  cast  anxious  glances  toward 
that  part  of  the  field  where  Kirby  Smith's  division  was  ex 
pected  to  advance  from  Winchester.  From  the  effect  of  five 
hours'  almost  incessant  fighting  his  men  had  become  sadly  ex 
hausted,  and  their  distress  was  greatly  augmented  by  the 
force  of  the  sun's  rays,  which  darted  down  so  scorching  a  glare 
as  to  take  away,  for  a  time,  what  little  strength  remained  to 
his  wornout  troops.  There  was  yet  no  sign  of  Kirby  Smith's 
advance,  and  a  moody  despair  began  to  show  itself  in  the 
men's  countenances,  as  if  indicating  that  their  courage  was 
about  to  droop  from  sheer  hopelessness.  In  this  state  of 
matters  General  Johnston  made  another  resolute  attempt  to 
rally  his  troops,  and,  seizing  the  flag  of  the  6th  North  Carolina 
regiment,  conjured  his  men  to  stand  by  him  and  save  the 
honor  of  the  Confederate  cause  :  then  at  the  head  of  the 
4* 


82  WAR    PICTUEES. 

above-named  regiment,  he  rushed  furiously  on  the  advancing 
foe.  Nothing  could  now  prevail  against  these  men,  who 
fought  with  all  the  madness  of  despair.  Nothing  could  stop 
their  onward  rush ;  they  broke  through  the  enemy's  ranks, 
and  a  terrible  hand-to-hand  conflict  ensued,  to  depict  which 
adequately  would  be  impossible.  Who  could  relate  all  the 
scenes  of  desperate  daring  and  almost  superhuman  bravery 
that  were  here  displayed?  Without  stopping,  Johnston, 
followed  by  the  North  Carolina  regiment  and  a  portion  of 
Bonham's  brigade,  made  a  rush  for  the  plateau  occupied  by 
the  hostile  brigades  of  Rickett  and  Griffin. 

General  M'Dowell,  convinced  of  the  importance  of  this 
post,  had  sent  Corcoran's  Irish  regiment  to  its  support.  The 
latter  had  on  the  way  thrown  aside  everything  that  could  im 
pede  their  movements,  and,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  re 
pelled,  in  splendid  style,  all  Johnston's  attacks.  Johnston, 
driven  to  despair,  and  almost  fatigued  to  death  by  excitement 
and  exertion,  now  leaned  against  a  tree,  and  unable  to  sup 
press  his  vexation,  continually  stamped  his  foot  on  the  earth. 
The  fighting  here  was  truly  heroic.  Generals  Fisher  of 
North  Carolina,  and  Barton  of  Georgia,  fell  nearly  at  the 
same  time;  and  right  and  left  the  men  dropped,  bathed  in 
blood — yet  not  an  inch  of  ground  was  lost  or  won. 

At  this  most  critical  moment  of  the  day,  a  portion  of 
General  Jones's  brigade  now  makes  its  appearance  on  the  field, 
with  a  fresh  body  of  troops  from  Texas,  Arkansas,  and 
Louisiana.  With  a  loud  "  hurrah,"  these  men  throw  them 
selves  impetuously  upon  the  enemy,  already  confidently  ex 
ulting  in  anticipated  victory.  At  the  same  time,  in  order  to 
stem  their  farther  advance,  Johnston,  with  his  aide-de-camp, 
hastens  down  to  the  thinned  ranks  of  his  fine  division,  and  en 
deavors  again  to  rouse  the  dejected  spirit  of  his  men.  They 
respond  to  his  appeal;  although  panting  from  heat  and 
fatigue,  the  brave  fellows  cannot  refuse  to  follow  their 
beloved  and  gallant  commander.  Again  his  shaken  ranks 


THE   PLATEAU  REGAINED.  83 

are  formed  into  a  compact  column,  and  stimulated  by  the 
rallying  cry  of  "  Forward ! "  this  heroic  band,  with  their 
physical  strength  all  but  exhausted  by  their  previous  exer 
tions,  dash  irresistibly  into  the  battle,  determined  there  to 
seek  either  victory  or  death. 

Even  the  Irishmen,  who  had  hitherto  stood  like  a  rock 
under  their  able  colonel,  Corcoran,  could  not  withstand  this 
shock.  They,  too,  were  dead  beat  by  the  incessant  hard 
fighting.  Thus  we  were  enabled  to  gain  a  little  ground, 
which  served  still  further  to  rouse  the  courage  of  our  men. 
Like  two  thunder  clouds  driven  into  collision  by  a  fierce 
tempest,  the  hostile  masses  closed.  "  Hurrah  for  Jeff. 
Davis !  "  shouted  our  men,  and  "  On  to  Richmond ! "  was 
responded  by  the  foe.  The  Federal  gunners  were  obliged  to 
cease  firing,  in  order  not  to  mow  down  their  own  men,  and 
sword  and  bayonet  were  alone  used  to  do  their  deadly  work 
in  this  murderous  melee. 

Gradually  the  resistance  of  our  opponents  slackened — they 
began  to  give  way.  One  more  attack — one  more  headlong 
wild  rush,  regardless  of  death  and  horrible  mutilation — one 
more  desperate  grapple — and  the  enemy  is  hurled  back.  A 
loud  cheer  then  burst  from  our  ranks,  accompanied  with  ex 
ulting  cries  of,  "  They  give  way  !  they  give  way !  "  and  exert 
ing  their  remaining  powers  to  the  utmost,  our  men  make  a 
final  and  crushing  onslaught.  The  enemy  is  compelled  to  re 
linquish  his  hard-earned  advantages,  and  seeks  shelter  behind 
his  guns,  which  are  brought  up  in  all  haste,  but  in  vain. 

The  Confederates  having  become  again  masters  of  the  im 
portant  plateau,  with  a  portion  of  the  batteries  posted  there, 
forthwith  turn  the  guns  against  the  columns  advancing  to  the 
support  of  the  enemy,  which  are  now  exposed  to  a  galling 
fire. 

The  battle  on  the  left  wing  had  thus  terminated  in  our 
favor.  Johnston  had  defeated  all  the  attempts  of  the  enemy 
to  maintain  the  plateau  and  the  group  of  houses,  and  drove 


84  WAR    PICTURES. 

them  back,  with  a  great  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  on  their 
reserve.  We  now  stood  in  special  need  of  a  good  body  of 
cavalry.  If  Johnston,  at  the  moment  the  enemy  gave  way, 
had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  have  two  or  three  cavalry  regi 
ments  at  his  disposal,  our  success  would  have  been  a  decisive 
one.  Our  infantry  was  so  worn  out  with  heat  and  toil,  that 
the  men  were  not  capable  of  performing  the  comparatively 
light  duty  of  pursuing  the  beaten  foe.  Our  success  was,  con 
sequently,  not  complete.  Moreover,  had  we  been  better  pro 
vided  with  cavalry,  we  might  have  effectually  relieved  our 
centre  when  it  was  so  hard  pressed  by  General  M'Dowell. 

General  Johnston  felt  very  anxious  lest  the  enemy  should 
become  aware  of  our  weakness  and  return  to  the  attack.  He 
therefore  sent  aide-de-camps  and  orderlies,  in  all  haste,  in  the 
direction  where  Kirby  Smith's  division  was  expected.  If  his 
troops  should  arrive  in  time  our  men  might  get  some  of  the 
rest  they  so  much  needed ;  but  this  hope  was  likely  to  prove 
a  vain  one :  not  a  trace  was  to  be  seen  either  of  Kirby  Smith's 
or  of  any  other  fresh  troops,  and  the  mind  of  Johnston  was 
sorely  troubled  at  contemplating  the  dearly  purchased  advan 
tages  he  had  obtained  with  his  gallant  soldiers  thus  placed  in 
jeopardy,  as  the  prospect  of  maintaining  the  ground  they 
had  won  and  following  up  their  success  seemed  to  fade  away. 

Meantime,  the  battle  had  been  raging  along  the  whole 
line.  General  Beauregard,  informed  of  Johnston's  success  on 
the  left  wing,  did  not  wish  to  be  behindhand  on  his  part,  and 
exerted  all  his  energy  to  strike  a  decisive  blow  at  the  enemy. 
He  therefore  ordered  General  Longstreet  to  place  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  attacking  columns,  and  directed  a  general  ad 
vance.  Admirably  did  Longstreet  lead  his  men  on,  and  he 
was  followed  by  the  brigades  of  Kershaw  and  Coke  in  sup 
port.  The  enemy's  troops  calmly  awaited  our  attack,  and 
from  a  masked  battery  opened  a  destructive  fire  upon  Long- 
Btreet's  corps.  This,  however,  did  not  check  its  advance  for 
one  moment ;  on  it  dashed  in  utter  contempt  of  death,  with 


LONGSTREET   REPULSED.  85 

fixed  bayonets,  across  the  plain  and  over  some  small  brush 
wood  which  separated  it  from  the  foe.  At  this  moment  the 
enemy  displayed  his  front;  various  guns,  hitherto  unper- 
ceived,  poured  a  regular  shower  of  grape  into  our  attacking 
columns,  causing  whole  ranks  to  be  swept  down  on  the  blood 
stained  field.  The  two  supporting  brigades,  beholding  this 
terrible  havoc  of  their  comrades,  with  cries  of  rage  and 
anguish  burst  from  their  hitherto  well-kept  ranks,  and  rushed 
wildly  across  the  plain  to  their  aid ;  but  before  they  could 
come  up  with  them,  they  in  turn  fell  stricken  to  the  ground. 

Our  foes,  confident  in  the  ultimate  success  of  a  well-con 
certed  plan  of  action,  defended  their  position  with  great  skill 
and  determination.  Longstreet,  rendered  desperate  by  the 
terrible  loss  sustained  by  his  men,  endeavored  in  vain  to 
rally  them  and  inspire  them  with  new  courage.  His  corps 
was  almost  annihilated,  and  many  of  his  men  became  mixed 
up  with  the  other  brigades  so  inextricably  that  great  confu 
sion  necessarily  ensued,  and  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  pro 
cure  any  obedience  to  orders.  Soldiers  no  longer  recognized 
their  officers,  nor  the  officers  their  men,  so  incurable  was  the 
confusion  at  that  moment.  Like  madmen  the  men  fired  and 
struck  at  their  foes  without  order.  All  the  appeals  of  Beau- 
regard  and  his  officers  were  disregarded.  The  troops,  at  last, 
struck  with  a  panic,  quite  gave  way  and  ran  across  the  plain 
which  separated  them  from  the  wood.  They  had  scarcely 
turned  when  some  squadrons  of  the  United  States  regular 
cavalry  followed  them  in  pursuit.  Happily  for  our  men  the 
leader  of  these  horsemen  did  his  work  inefficiently.  Profiting 
by  this,  some  companies  which  had  hastily  got  together,  some 
what  recovered  their  order,  making  a  sufficient  show  of  resist 
ance  to  lead  him  to  suppose  they  meant  to  repel  the  attack ; 
thereupon,  he  turned  back  and  allowed  the  remainder  of  our 
dispersed  troops  to  save  themselves. 

The  disheartened  soldiers  had  scarcely  reached  the  verge 
of  the  wood  when  Colonel  Ashby  made  his  appearance  with 


86  WAR    PICTURES. 

some  companies  of  cavalry,  and  under  this  welcome  protect 
ing  cover  many  of  the  fugitives  found  safety. 

The  enemy  now  advanced  slowly,  but  with  evident  dis 
trust,  whilst  their  artillery  kept  up  a  useless  fire.  Our  troops 
were  not  disposed  to  make  any  further  stand.  Their  great 
and  unlooked-for  losses  had  disheartened  them,  and  it  was 
only  when  Beauregard  came  up  with  a  few  fresh  battalions 
and  a  battery  that  the  officers  could  succeed  in  enforcing 
obedience,  when  they  endeavored,  to  the  best  of  their  ability, 
to  get  the  disorganized  mass  into  some  order  and  discipline. 
Beauregard  looked  sadly,  almost  beseechingly,  toward  hea. 
ven,  as  if  no  aid  could  be  expected  from  any  other  quarter. 
The  few  battalions  he  had  brought  up  were  sent  to  the  front 
and  spread  themselves  out  in  an  extended  line  of  skirmishers, 
opening  a  brisk  fire  upon  the  slowly  advancing  enemy,  who 
probably  fancied  that  much  larger  reinforcements  had  arrived 
than  was  really  the  case.  Had  they  known  at  this  critical 
moment  how  to  turn  their  advantage  to  account,  there  was  no 
need  for  them  to  force  Beauregard's  centre,  disorganized  and 
scattered  as  it  then  was. 

From  the  left  wing  there  was  no  help  to  be  expected  ;  for 
General  Johnston,  with  his  wornout  troops,  was  incapable  of 
more  work,  and  was  only  too  thankful  that  he  had  succeeded  in 
doing  so  much.  The  reserves  had  been  so  lavishly  employed 
from  the  very  outset,  that  there  were  none  now  available; 
consequently,  our  troops  were  wholly  insufficient  to  resist  a 
fresh  attack  on  the  part  of  the  enemy ;  and  if  to  this  be  added 
the  general  discouragement  and  the  wornout  state  of  the  men, 
we  may  infer  that  in  a  few  minutes  more  the  battle  of  Manas- 
sas  might  have  been  decided  in  favor  of  the  Federals.  But 
it  was  not  to  be  so  :  thanks  to  the  slowness  of  our  over-prudent 
foes,  we  were  saved  in  our  hour  of  greatest  need,  and  the 
mighty  blow  that  threatened  our  destruction  fell  short  of  its 
tnark. 

Our  brave  sharpshooters  were  meanwhile  busily  annoying 


ARKIYAL   OF   THE   PRESIDENT.  87 

the  advancing  enemy  ;  and  the  few  battalions  we  still  had  to 
cover  us  kept  the  enemy  at  bay,  like  well  trained  hounds 
when  facing  a  lion ;  and  profiting  by  his  unaccountable  inert 
ness  and  overcaution,  seized  the  opportunity  to  attempt,  hope 
less  as  the  chance  appeared,  once  more  to  restore  our  fallen 
fortunes. 

At  the  very  time  these  momentous  events  were  taking  place 
on  the  right  wing  and  in  the  centre,  President  Jefferson  Davis 
made  his  appearance  on  the  field,  surrounded  by  a  brilliant 
staff.  For  a  triumphant  procession,  he  must  have  soon  per 
ceived  that  he  came  somewhat  too  early,  as  he  rode  in  silence 
along  the  columns  of  the  brigades.  What  a  sight !  The  glo 
rious  army  was,  so  to  say,  dissolved.  The  pride  and  the  flower 
of  the  South  lay  bleeding  and  broken  on  the  ground,  and  only 
a  small  body  still  rallied  round  its  tattered  banners.  The 
hopes  of  thousands  had  been  baffled,  the  joy  of  other  thousands 
crushed ;  groans,  lamentations,  and  piteous  cries  for  help  were 
painfully  audible  on  every  side.  In  the  midst  of  the  fearful, 
sickening  sight  that  met  the  eye  of  the  President,  what  must 
the  proud  heart  of  that  man  have  felt  at  this  spectacle  of  mis 
ery  1  What  must  have  been  his  feelings  when  the  corpses  of 
his  friends,  Generals  Barton  and  Fisher— men  who  had  found 
the  death  of  heroes — were  brought  in  ? 

With  an  uneasy  hand  he  clutched  his  reins,  his  eye  look 
ing  dull  and  sad,  his  face  twitching  nervously,  influenced  per 
haps  by  a  painful  feeling  of  responsibility  on  beholding  around 
him  on  all  sides  the  poor  victims  who  had  fallen  in  support  of 
the  cause  identified  so  closely  with  his  own  ambition. 

General  Beauregard  communicated  to  the  President,  in  a 
few  words,  the  details  of  the  progress  of  the  battle.  The  sol 
diers,  meanwhile,  stood  around  in  silence,  leaning  on  their  wea 
pons.  There  was  something  of  discontent  visible  in  their 
looks,  which  may  have  seemed  to  upbraid  the  President  for 
the  policy  that  had  brought  them  to  make  such  fearful  sacri- 


88  WAK    PICTURES. 

His  Excellency,  unable  to  dwell  upon  so  painful  a  scene, 
hastily  rode  off  toward  our  left  wing,  but  only  to  see  a  repe 
tition  there  of  the  spectacle  he  had  just  endeavored  to  avoid. 

Scarcely  had  the  President  left  with  his  staff,  when  the 
enemy  made  a  show  of  ending  by  one  blow  the  work  that  had 
been  so  far  advanced. 

They  came  boldly  forward,  drove  back  our  sharpshooters, 
and  approached  the  spot  where  we  had  posted  our  reserve,  our 
hospitals,  and  magazines.  If  our  foes  could  have  succeeded  in 
establishing  a  footing  here,  all  resistance  must  necessarily  have 
ceased.  At  this  critical  moment,  Beauregard  ordered  General 
Jackson  to  attack  the  enemy  on  the  left  flank,  whilst  he  should 
attack  them  in  the  centre. 

Poor  Jackson  was,  on  every  occasion,  the  last  resource, 
and  was  therefore  ordered  forward  when  any  difficult  or 
almost  impossible  work  was  to  be  done.  But  he  was  always 
willing  and  ready,  and  no  one  ever  heard  him  utter  a  com. 
plaint,  or  grumble  at  any  order,  however  unreasonable.  And 
so  it  happened  to-day :  he  was  again  to  attack  the  enemy,  al 
though  no  division  had  been  so  hotly  engaged  and  suffered  so 
much  already  as  his  own.  He  stirred  up  the  courage  of  his 
men,  and  with  unbounded  confidence,  they  prepared  to  follow 
him.  A  few  moments  after  Jackson  had  received  his  orders 
he  was  again  alongside  the  enemy,  engaged  in  a  desperate 
hand-to-hand  encounter. 

The  Federal  troops  had  just  crossed  a  ditch,  but  Jackson 
drove  them  back  helter  skelter,  and  hotly  pursued  them.  The 
enemy  was  startled  at  this  forward  movement  of  the  Confed 
erates,  who  scarcely  an  hour  before  had  appeared  defeated  and 
about  to  retreat.  They  pulled  up,  however,  at  a  small  ravine, 
and  then  made  so  stout  a  stand  that  every  attempt  of  Jackson 
to  drive  them  from  this  post  failed. 

Generals  Scott  and  M'Dowell,  observing  the  fatigued  state 
of  our  men,  resolved  at  once  to  make  a  general  attack  upon 
our  wornout  line. 


JOHNSTON'S  DESPEKATE  COURAGE.        89 

General  Mills  was  sent  with  three  brigades  to  Centreville, 
to  make  a  demonstration  as  a  feint  upon  Blackburn  and  Mit 
chell's  Ford,  with  a  view  to  mislead  General  Beauregard  ;  and 
General  Tyler  was,  meantime,  to  operate  against  Stone- 
bridge  ;  General  Heintzelman  to  advance  as  quickly  as  possi 
ble  against  Red  House  Ford,  and  take  possession  of  that  point. 
General  Hunter,  with  two  brigades,  was,  in  the  interval,  to 
clear  the  ground  and  drive  back  the  skirmishers. 

The  enemy  carried  out  this  manoeuvre  with  alacrity  and 
a  feeling  of  confidence,  whilst  our  army,  owing  to  the  immense 
length  of  our  line  of  battle,  was  so  widely  distributed  that 
some  portions  were  left  unsupported.  Our  troops  could  not 
prevent  the  enemy  from  carrying  out  their  operations,  as  there 
was  scarcely  any  possibility  of  concentrating  large  masses  on 
one  point,  an  operation  that  would  have  been  attended,  not 
only  with  great  difficulty,  but  with  much  loss  of  time.  Owing 
to  the  concentration  of  the  enemy,  it  was  much  easier  for  them 
to  support  each  other.  Without  giving  us  time  thoroughly 
to  understand  their  plans  and  to  counteract  them,  the  enemy's 
troops  now  made  a  sudden  and  simultaneous  attack  upon  our 
whole  line.  Generals  Heintzelman  and  Burnside  made  a  furi 
ous  onslaught  upon  Johnston's  wearied  troops,  and  attempted 
to  drive  them  out  of  the  position  they  had  gained  with  so  much 
resolution  and  perseverance. 

Johnston  was  well  aware  of  the  importance  of  his  position, 
and  saw  at  a  glance  exactly  how  he  was  situated.  If  the  Fed 
erals  were  victorious  here,  the  only  chance  for  the  Confeder 
ates  was  to  fall  back  on  the  centre,  in  which  case  Johnston 
would  have  to  advance  his  left  wing  toward  it.  But  this 
would  cut  off  the  communication  with  Kirby  Smith's  corps, 
for  the  enemy  could  then  occupy  the  position  thus  vacated, 
throw  itself  between  Johnston  and  Smith,  and  capture  or  crush 
the  latter,  who  would  then  have  to  sustain  the  attack  of  their 
main  body. 

The  enemy's  two  generals  exerted  themselves  to  the  ut- 


90  WAli    PICTUKES. 

most  to  effect  their  object ;  but  Johnston  stood  as  firm  as  a 
rock,  and  was  determined  to  hold  the  precious  ground  he  oc 
cupied  with  his  troops,  until  the  last  man  should  fall.  A  con 
flict  on  a  large  scale  was,  meantime,  raging  along  the  whole 
line.  The  sultry  atmosphere  was  almost  unbearable,  and  the 
troops,  heated  by  continual  fighting,  were  tired  almost  to 
fainting.  With  difficulty  Johnston  gathered  his  men  together, 
and  brought  them  up,  almost  desponding,  against  the  enemy. 
Both  parties  fought  with  almost  incredible  obstinacy.  The 
cannon  roared,  the  rifles  cracked,  and  with  wild  hurrahs  the 
opponents  met  in  mortal  fight.  Clouds  of  smoke  and  dust 
shrouded  the  horrible  scenes  of  butchery  here  displayed. 
More  than  once  had  they  driven  back  the  enemy's  attack, 
when  suddenly  Hunter's  division  came  up  to  the  support  of 
the  latter,  thus  bringing  fresh  troops  against  our  wornout 
men.  This  was  too  much.  Despite  the  great  disregard  of 
death  which  Johnston  himself  had  personally  displayed — de 
spite  the  most  heroic  attempts  at  keeping  up  the  courage  of 
his  men,  it  was  evident  that  the  position  could  no  longer  be 
held.  Attacked  on  all  sides,  our  troops  retreated  gradually 
from  their  dearly  bought  positions,  defending  every  inch  of 
ground  with  their  last  remaining  strength. 

Johnston  was  now  in  a  state  of  despair ;  all  seemed  to  be 
lost,  and  the  exertions  of  the  whole  day  fruitless.  Like  a 
wounded  boar,  he  rushed  about,  endeavoring  to  collect  the  last 
remnants  of  his  defeated  corps ;  and  the  tide  of  fortune  was 
fast  setting  in  against  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy,  when,  as 
an  expiring  effort,  Hampton's  legion  was  now  brought  up  to 
support  Jackson.  "  You  cover  the  retreat,"  shouted  Jackson ; 
"  we  are  beaten,  and  must  fall  back.  Then,"  added  he,  reso 
lutely,  "  I  will  again  show  the  enemy  our  bayonets."  In  a 
very  short  time  he  had  formed  his  troops  into  order;  and 
General  Bee  exultingly  exclaimed,  "Here  stands  Jackson 
like  a  *  stone  wall,'  and  here  let  us  conquer  or  die ! " 

The  exclamation  was  received  with  enthusiasm  along  the 


THE  CONFEDERATES  NEARLY  OVERPOWERED.      91 

whole  line.      "  Stone  wall !  stone  wall ! "  shouted  the  men ; 


and  their  courage  was  renewed  as  if  by  magic.  Here  it  was 
that  Jackson  earned  the  imperishable  term  of  Stonewall  as  a 
prefix  to  his  name.  Meantime  the  enemy  was  already  in 
possession  of  nearly  all  the  important  positions.  Jackson, 
fully  aware  of  their  value,  turned  his  attention  to  that  quar 
ter.  Making  a  furious  rush  upon  the  scared  enemy,  he  at 
tacks  them  in  their  centre,  and  endeavors  to  hurl  them  back. 
A  half  battery  of  12-pounders  did  very  good  service  here; 
and  General  Bee  followed  up  with  the  troops  of  the  other  di 
vision.  But  all  these  heroic  attempts  proved  fruitless ;  the 
enemy  was  too  strong.  Heintzelman  and  Burnside  defended 
their  position  with  great  skill.  Johnston  tried  a  desperate 
flank  movement;  but  the  enemy  was  not  to  be  deceived. 
They  merely  sent  their  disposable  cavalry  and  a  few  guns  to 
oppose  him ;  and  these  troops,  by  their  firm  "attitude,  kept 
him  at  bay. 

Jackson  was  finally  obliged  to  leave  Johnston  to  himself, 
and  make  a  retrograde  movement.  As  soon  as  the  enemy 
observed  this,  they  determined  to  annihilate  us  at  one  fell 
swoop.  There  was  no  time  to  be  lost  now,  and  only  the 
most  heroic  resistance  could  save  the  fresh  regiments  that  had 
come  up. 

The  condition  of  affairs  on  our  side  was  at  this  moment 
desperate  indeed.  Our  left  flank  was  overpowered,  and  with 
out  support  it  was  impossible  to  do  anything  with  the  worn- 
out  troops  in  that  quarter.  General  Holmes  with  three  regi 
ments,  and  General  Early  with  some  others,  and  a  6-pounder 
battery  under  Captain  Walker,  accordingly  advanced  to  the 
support;  whilst  the  routed  brigades  of  Bonham,  Kemper, 
Longstreet,  Ewell  and  Jones  were  ordered  to  make  a  general 
attack  upon  the  Federal  forces.  By  the  greatest  good  luck, 
it  so  happened  that  at  this  moment  a  body  of  fresh  troops 
came  up  from  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  and  by  their  gallant 
bearing  revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  our  men. 


92  WAK    PICTURES. 

Beauregard  and  Johnston  held  a  conference  at  Robertson's 
Farm,  at  which  President  Jefferson  Davis  was  also  present. 
But  few  words  could  have  passed  between  them  ;  they  proba 
bly  referred  to  what  appeared  to  be  our  inevitable  retreat. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  generals  gallopped  back  to  their  respect 
ive  posts.  It  was  high  time  that  they  did  so,  for  the  enemy 
were  pouring  in  on  all  sides,  overthrowing  Beauregard's  line 
of  defence.  Once  more  Jackson  gathered  his  men  together, 
and  led  them  on  to  fight ;  but  every  attack  failed  against  the 
obstinacy  of  the  foe,  who  resolutely  frustrated  every  attempt 
made  by  our  men.  This  hot  and  sanguinary  day  was  already 
drawing  to  a  close ;  the  sun  was  murkily  setting  in  the  west, 
as  if  it  had  already  witnessed  too  much  misery ;  darkness 
was  beginning  to  spread  its  merciful  wings  over  the  scene  of 
battle,  over  the  downtrodden,  mutilated  corpses,  and  over  the 
numerous  wounded  that  lay  scattered  over  the  vast  plain. 
The  position  of  the  Confederates  became  gradually  more  un 
tenable  ;  and  when  stragglers  from  Beauregard's  defeated  di 
vision  came  hastily  up,  one  after  the  other  exclaiming,  "  Beau- 
regard  is  beaten !  Longstreet  is  killed !  all  is  over ! "  even 
the  bravest  spirits  gave  way.  The  roar  of  cannon  drew  nearer 
and  nearer,  and  announced  that  we  really  were  defeated.  Vain 
were  all  attempts  to  stop  the  confusion  which  ensued ;  prepa 
rations  were  made  by  many  for  flight,  and  some,  indeed,  threw 
away  their  arms,  and  fled. 

Johnston  and  Jackson  rode  like  madmen  through  the 
ranks  of  the  disheartened  soldiers,  but  their  zeal  was  of  no 
avail.  The  confusion  increased,  and  masses  of  Beauregard's 
routed  division  came  hurrying  back,  adding  to  the  general  be 
wilderment.  All  discipline  was  at  an  end ;  the  enemy's  bul 
lets  already  began  to  shower  in  upon  us,  and  the  shout  of 
"  Run !  "  wras  raised.  And  now  at  this  moment  appeared  in 
sight,  at  no  great  distance  too,  the  advancing  columns  of  the 
anxiously  expected  corps  of  Kirby  Smith. 

Like  an  electric  shock,  the  words  ran  from  mouth  to  mouth 


KIRBY  SMITH'S  OPPORTUNE  ARRIVAL.  93 

through  the  ranks,  "  Kirby  is  coming  !  "  and  a  thousand  voices 
thundered  forth,  "  Kirby  is  advancing  with  30.000  men ! " 
Each  eye  now  flashed  with  enthusiasm,  and  each  breast  heaved 
with  renewed  courage. 

It  was  now  an  easy  task  for  the  officers  to  restore  order 
amongst  their  men.  The  newcomers  are  greeted  with  shouts 
of  "  Welcome  ! "  The  help  that  was  needed  to  save  the  army 
had  come  at  last.  Kirby  Smith  advanced  at  once  to  the  at 
tack,  and  every  one  felt  that  his  opportune  arrival  had  ope 
rated  a  miraculous  change  in  the  state  of  affairs.  The  loud 
cheer  that  rang  along  our  broken  lines  now  startled  the  elated, 
advancing  enemy. 

Like  a  thunderbolt  Kirby  Smith  fell  upon  the  foe ;  our 
men  fought  desperately ;  and  in  a  moment  the  Federal  troops, 
who  had  felt  certain  of  victory,  were  everywhere  driven  back. 
Scarcely  had  they  commenced  retiring,  when  it  became  im 
possible  to  restrain  our  troops.  A  giant  Texan,  throwing 
away  his  rifle,  took  out  his  Bowie  knife.  With  one  blow  he 
split  the  skull  of  a  wounded  man  who  had  fallen  to  the 
ground ;  and  this  became  the  signal  for  a  general  butchery. 
Like  wild  beasts,  the  incensed  soldiery  fell  upon  their  victims, 
hewing,  stabbing  and  slashing  like  madmen. 

A  fearful  panic  seizes  upon  the  Federal  troops.  Even  the 
bravest  fly  before  such  an  onslaught ;  they  give  way,  and,  in 
mortal  fear,  officers  and  men  run  for  their  lives  like  startled 
deer.  Only  a  few  regiments  hold  their  ground,  and  amongst 
them  Colonel  Corcpran's  Irish  regiment,  standing  like  a  rock 
in  the  whirlpool  rushing  past  them,  and  which  threatened  to 
carry  them  along  with  it.  The  Irish  fought  like  heroes ;  and 
not  until  a  great  number  of  them  had  fallen,  and  their  brave 
colonel  had  been  made  a  prisoner,  did  they  slowly  retire. 
These  poor  fellows,  who  had  certainly  done  their  full  share 
of  the  work,  could  not  possibly  understand  that  the  day  was 
to  end  to  their  disadvantage.  The  savage  spirit  of  our  sol 
diers  now  almost  bordered  upon  the  horrible.  Beauregard 


94  WAR    PICTURES. 

took  advantage  of  this  vengeful  mood ;  he  ordered  his  whole 
army  forward,  and  with  wild  exulting  cheers  fell  upon  the 
broken  enemy.  Stuart  meantime  had  collected  all  his  cavalry 
together,  and  swept  across  the  plain  like  a  whirlwind,  clearing 
everything  before  him. 

The  enemy  was  now  in  full  flight  at  every  point,  and  so 
quick  was  our  advance  that  all  order  in  our  ranks  was  lost, 
and  no  regiment  kept  in  its  proper  position.  A  rumor  sud 
denly  spread  among  the  men  that  Kirby  Smith  had  fallen.  A 
cry  of  anger  and  horror  passed  through  the  ranks  of  the  whole 
army.  Our  troops,  now  maddened  with  rage,  fell  mercilessly 
upon  their  opponents,  and  a  fearful  massacre  commenced. 
Scenes  of  horrible  cruelty  too  fearful  for  description  ensued. 
Our  men  were  no  longer  human  beings ;  covered  with  blood 
and  dust,  and  gunpowder,  they  fell  upon  their  flying  oppo 
nents  with  ungovernable  fury. 

The  whole  of  the  enemy's  army  was  dispersed,  and  re 
treated  in  indescribable  disorder  to  Bull  Run.  The  whole 
plain  was  covered  with  fugitives,  followed  by  our  men  in  hot 
pursuit.  The  victory  we  had  gained  was  complete. 

Scarcely  was  Beauregard  informed  of  the  unexpected 
success  of  his  arms  at  every  point,  when  he  wended  his  way 
to  the  spot  where  President  Jefferson  Davis  had  posted  him 
self  with  his  staff. 

"  President,"  said  he,  "  the  battle  of  Manassas  has  been 
won  by  the  indomitable  bravery  of  the  Confederate  troops. 
The  victory  is  ours  !  " 

The  President,  with  emotion,  embraced  the  hero  of 
Manassas ;  the  Confederacy  was  safe  now  for  some  time  to 
come,  and  with  it  the  position  of  its  President. 

It  was  past  midnight,  and  at  headquarters  nothing  was 
yet  known  of  the  actual  position  and  condition  of  the  troops. 
In  the  wild,  disorderly  pursuit,  all  the  regiments  had  become 
disorganized,  and  in  many  cases  the  commanding  officers 
failed  in  getting  their  orders  obeyed.  The  roar  of  cannon 


ASPECT   OF   THE    BATTLE   FIELD.  95 

had  now  become  fainter,  and  the  sound  of  musketry  had 
ceased  altogether. 

The  destruction  and  devastation  which  this  battle  of  nearly 
twelve  hours'  duration  occasioned  is  beyond  my  powers  of 
description. '  On  the  field  lay  by  thousands  the  wounded,  the 
dying,  and  the  dead ;  groans  and  piteous  cries  for  help  echoed 
through  the  silence  of  the  night,  but  few  took  any  notice  of 
the  poor  sufferers  lying  on  that  field  of  blood.  The  prepara 
tions  for  conveying  and  taking  care  of  the  wounded  were  so 
defective,  the  means  for  attending  to  their  wants  so  insuffi 
cient,  and  the  staff  destined  for  this  purpose  so  small,  that  but 
little  real  help  could  be  bestowed.  The  sultry  air  was  still 
insufferable,  and  augmented  the  pangs  of  the  wounded ;  yet 
the  surgeons  had  no  idea  of  their  duties,  although  the  most 
energetic  action  on  their  part  was  so  indispensable. 

Beauregard  and  the  other  generals  were  fairly  bewildered 
by  the  victory  they  had  achieved.  They  already  pictured  to 
their  fancy  the  Confederate  Government  safely  seated  at 
Washington,  issuing  decrees  from  the  Capitol  to  the  van 
quished  North.  But  where  the  army  was  that  had  to  effect 
all  this,  no  one  knew.  A  great  portion  of  it  lay  dead  on  the 
field  of  battle,  while  the  more  unfortunate  wounded  were 
abandoned  heartlessly  to  their  fate.  No  hospital  accommo 
dation  had  been  provided ;  but  little  surgical  attendance  had 
been  prepared  for  the  wretched  sufferers.  With  the  greatest 
difficulty  the  quartermasters  managed  to  find  room  for  some 
1,500  to  2,000  of  our  own  wounded,  while  those  of  the  enemy, 
in  still  greater  number,  required  accommodation.  But  whose 
business  was  this?  The  greater  portion  of  the  army  was 
busied  in  plundering ;  from  which  occupation  many  repaired 
joyfully  homeward,  refusing  obedience  to  their  officers,  and 
inflated  with  pride  at  the  valiant  deeds  they  had  performed. 

Our  army  was  just  then  de  facto  dissolved,  and  there  weie 
but  few  troops  amongst  them  who  could  be  counted  upon. 
But  in  the  sad  scene  that  lay  before  me,  I  could  not  stand  by 


96  WAR    PICTURES. 

unconcerned  at  the  sight  of  so  much  uncared-for  misery  ;  my 
heart  bled  at  the  lamented  cries  for  help  of  the  poor  fellows 
lying  around  me.  I  then  proceeded  to  visit  the  prisoners, 
and  on  inquiring  if  there  were  no  medical  men  amongst  them, 
I  found  a  few,  and  with  these  proceeded  to  o*ur  left  wing, 
where  the  fight  had  been  fiercest.  It  was  a  sorrowful  kind  of 
work  we  took  in  hand:  as  soon  as  we  came  to  the  scene  of 
the  struggle,  friend  and  foe  lay  side  by  side  in  one  undis- 
tinguishable  mass,  the  dead  and  dying  crowded  together  in  a 
frightful  heap,  mixed  with  broken  ammunition  carts  and  frag 
ments  of  baggage. 

We  set  about  putting  the  houses  which  stood  near  the 
plateau,  that  had  been  the  scene  of  such  murderous  strife, 
into  the  best  order  we  could.  Riddled  as  they  were,  how 
ever,  with  cannon  shot,  they  were  now  mere  shells.  Carpen 
ters  and  joiners  did  their  best  to  turn  them  into  a  sort  of  tem 
porary  hospital,  but  the  darkness  of  the  night  much  impeded 
our  exertions,  and  it  was  not  till  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
that  our  first  preparations  were  completed. 

At  five  o'clock  I  again  visited  the  field  of  battle.  Our 
generals  had  given  up  all  further  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  and 
were  occupied  in  restoring  order  amongst  the  troops — order 
out  of  chaos  indeed  !  The  whole  population  of  the  neighbor 
hood  was  collected  together,  partly  in  search  of  booty,  partly 
to  inquire  after  the  fate  of  relations  and  friends,  and  being 
intermingled  with  the  troops,  the  whole  presented  the  appear 
ance  of  a  roving  mob.  No  one  seemed  disposed  to  obey  the 
orders  of  his  superiors  or  attend  to  his  duties ;  the  command 
ers  themselves  relaxed  their  grasp  on  the  troops,  and  were 
dragged  into  the  whirlpool.  Numerous  bands  of  soldiers 
strolled  about,  howling  and  bawling,  and  otherwise  mis 
behaving  themselves.  Many  deserted,  for  discipline  and 
subordination  were  at  an  end ;  and  the  army  of  the  Con 
federates  was  virtually  broken  up,  despite  the  victory  it  had 
achieved. 


INCIDENTS    OF  THE   FLIGHT.  97 

If  General  Scott  had  had  a  reserve  at  hand,  behind  the 
ranks  of  which  his  troops  could  have  been  reformed,  he  might 
easily  have  restored  the  fortunes  of  the  day,  and  at  any  rate 
have  deprived  the  Confederates  of  all  the  advantages  of  the 
victory.  His  cavalry  had  not  suffered  much,  and  he  could 
have  ordered  up  Patterson's  corps  in  all  haste  from  Martins- 
burg  by  forced  marches,  and  by  displaying  a  little  energy  and 
presence  of  mind,  have  retrieved  the  disaster  that  had  befallen 
the  Union  banner. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  disorder  and  panic  in  the  Fed 
eral  army  must  nevertheless  have  been  very  great.  The 
whole  line  of  road  taken  by  the  Federals  in  their  retreat  was 
strewn  with  weapons,  dead  and  wounded  horses,  wagons, 
baggage,  in  sad  evidence  of  their  utter  rout.  At  Cub  Bun 
Bridge,  to  all  appearance,  there  must  have  been  an  awful 
crush  amongst  the  fugitives,  the  main  stream  of  which,  being 
pursued  by  Early's  and  Stuart's  cavalry,  infantry,  and  artil 
lery,  hurried  on  in  such  a  helter-skelter  style  to  place  the 
river  between  themselves  and  the  pursuers,  that  the  bridge 
was  thoroughly  blocked  up  by  the  jamming  together  of  wag. 
ons  and  horses.  In  fact,  confusion  reached  its  culminating 
point  at  this  bridge.  In  their  frantic  efforts  to  escape,  the 
Union  soldiers  climbed  over  the  obstructing  carriages,  some 
of  which  were  overturned ;  while  in  the  midst  of  all  this 
tumult  the  first  shots  of  Kemper's  pursuing  battery  began  to 
take  effect,  thereby  increasing  the  panic  to  the  most  fearful 
height. 

Hundreds  of  curious  spectators,  who  had  come  in  carriages 
and  on  horseback  to  witness  the  victory  of  the  Federal  troops, 
now  added,  by  their  useless  and  obstructive  presence,  to  the 
disastrous  effects  of  the  retreat,  beseeching  the  exhausted 
soldiers  to  help  them,  who  could  not  save  themselves  ;  horses 
without  riders,  bespattered  with  blood  and  frantic  from 
wounds,  dashed  into  the  human  mass,  and  contributed  another 
phase  of  terror  to  the  deplorable  scene.  Self-preservation 
5 


98  WAR  PICTURES. 

was  now  absolute  in  its  sway.  Every  man  sought  to  save 
his  own  life,  regardless  of  that"  of  his  comrade,  whom  he 
savagely  thrust  out  of  his  way ;  for  they  well  knew  that  the 
Confederate  horsemen  were  at  their  heels.  On  they  came, 
like  the  wind,  sweeping  all  before  them,  and  trampling  many 
a  poor  wounded  fellow  to  death.  Nearer  and  nearer,  too, 
the  dreaded  roar  of  the  cannon  reached  their  ears.  Thus  but 
one  thought,  but  one  idea,  self-preservation,  prevails  with  the 
tangled  mass  of  hunted  fugitives. 

The  flight  of  the  Federal  troops  continued  till  they 
reached  Centreville,  where  was  posted  Miles's  brigade.  There, 
in  fact,  were  reserves  which  had  not  been  turned  to  account 
in  the  action  :  reserves  that  might  have  done  good  service  if 
made  use  of  at  the  proper  time  and  place ;  but  it  would  seem 
as  if  every  man  lost  both  head  and  heart.  The  very  thought 
of  a  retreat  had  never  entered  their  minds,  still  less  that  of  a 
defeat,  with  such  confidence  had  the  generals  gone  to  work. 
But  what  is  no  less  singular,  no  arrangements  for  the  pursuit 
of  the  enemy  in  case  of  victory  had  been  made.  All  things 
considered,  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  severely  censuring  the 
Federal  commanders  for  their  want  of  foresight. 

Neither  General  Scott  nor  General  McDowell  had  given 
any  orders  to  Colonel  Miles  to  be  prepared  with  his  brigade  in 
readiness  for  any  emergency,  and  consequently  this  officer  found 
his  efforts  to  check  the  torrents  of  fugitives,  and  to  collect  any 
of  them  so  as  to  make  a  stand  utterly  futile :  the  panic  was 
overwhelming,  and  the  reserve  itself  was  presently  whirled 
away  in  the  vortex. 

Let  us,  in  conclusion,  bestow  another  glance  on  the  field 
of  battle.  What  a  horrible,  lamentable  episode  in  this  fratrici 
dal  contest  did  it  not  present  to  the  mind ;  and  the  man  who 
could,  on  beholding  it,  remain  unmoved  at  the  terrible  scene 
must  have  had  a  heart  of  stone.  The  reader  must  forgive  me 
if  I  now  refer  to  details  in  which  my  own  active  participation 
became  essential.  My  description  is  only  meant  to  give  a 


NEGLECT   OP  THE  WOUNDED.  99 

faint  sketch  of  the  utter  helplessness  and  neglect  of  precaution 
that  I  was  shocked  to  witness.  Prompted  by  feelings  of  con 
scientiousness  and  humanity,  I  made  it  my  duty  to  seek  out 
and  attend  upon  the  wounded  ;  and  the  more  so  when  I  found 
that  the  work  of  alleviating  their  sufferings  was  performed 
with  evident  reluctance  and  want  of  zeal  by  many  of  those  whose 
duty  it  was  to  do  it.  I  looked  upon  the  poor  fellows  only  as  suf 
fering  fellowr  mortals,  brothers  in  need  of  help,  and  made  no  dis 
tinction  between  friend  and  foe ;  nay,  I  must  own  that  I  was 
at  times  prompted  to  give  preference  to  the  latter,  for  the  reason 
that  some  of  our  men  met  with  attention  from  their  relations 
and  friends,  who  had  flocked  to  the  field  in  numbers  to  seek 
for  them.  But  in  doing  so  I  had  to  encounter  opposition,  and 
was  even  pointed  at  by  some,  with  muttered  curses,  as  a  trai 
tor  to  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy,  for  bestowing  any  attention 

on   the  "d Yankees."     To  insure   safety  from  my  own 

comrades,  I  waited  upon  General  Jackson,  and  explained  to  him 
the  task  I  had  undertaken.  He  shook  me  warmly  by  the  hand 
saying :  "  You  are  right ;  as  a  European  officer  you  must 
know  what  a  new  army  most  stands  in  need  of.  Act,  there 
fore,  according  to  your  own  judgment,  and,  if  necessary,  shoot 
any  ruffians  who  may  dare  to  interfere  with  you  in  your  work 
of  humanity.'1 

Thus  sanctioned,  I  returned  and  went  cheerfully  to  work. 
I  took  up  a  position  in  the  centre  of  the  battle  field ;  and  from 
this,  as  a  radiating  point,  sent  my  men  out  with  stretchers, 
bandages,  refreshments,  &c.,  to  succor  the  wounded.  Many 
of  our  officers  and  men  looked  on  with  more  than  indifference 
at  my  exertions  when  bestowed  on  wounded  enemies.  But  I 
persevered,  and  toward  evening  wre  had  three  hospitals :  one 
for  the  slightly  wounded,  one  for  amputations  and  other  serious 
cases,  and  one  for  those  who  were  wounded  beyond  all  hope. 
The  picture  of  human  misery  displayed  in  these  ill-provided 
asylums  was  a  heartrending  one.  A  young  Federal  officer 
especially  engrossed  my  sympathy.  Pale  as  death,  he  lay 


100  WAR    PICTURES. 

with  his  eyes  shut  and  closed  lips,  whilst  tears  rolled  down  his 
cheeks.  "  Courage,  comrade,"  I  said,  cheeringly  ;  "  the  day 
will  come  when  you  will  calmly  remember  this  battle  as  one 
of  the  things  of  the  past."  Gradually  opening  his  eyes,  and 
holding  out  his  hand,  he  pressed  mine,  and  exclaimed,  in  a 
trembling  voice,  "  Do  not  give  me  false  hopes,  sir :  it  is  all 
up  with  me."  In  vain  did  I  endeavor  to  cheer  his  flagging 
spirit.  "  I  do  not  grieve  that  I  shall  die,"  he  quietly  observ 
ed  ;  "  for  with  these  stumps"  (and  he  lifted  the  coverlet,  to 
show  me  that  both  his  feet  had  been  smashed  by  a  round  shot) 
"  I  cannot  live  long  ;  but  I  weep  for  my  poor,  distracted  coun 
try.  But  had  I  a  second  life  at  my  command,  I  would  willing 
ly  sacrifice  it  for  the  cause  of  the  Union."  Deeply  moved,  I 
stood  by  the  couch  of  this  gallant  youth,  who  with  his  dying 
breath  still  spoke  in  the  same  patriotic  strain.  His  eyes  had 
again  closed  ;  a  faint  smile  passed  over  his  face,  like  the  young 
dawn  of  another  world.  Suddenly  he  rose  nervously  in  the 
bed,  while  his  whole  frame  quivered  ;  and  after  exclaiming  in 
distinct  tones,  "  Mother  !— father  ! "  he  fell  back.  His  fea 
tures  became  rigid — his  spirit  had  fled. 

Here,  amongst  enemies,  he  breathed  oui;  his  young  life,  far 
away  from  his  beloved  relations,  and  none  of  them  will  prob 
ably  ever  learn  where  and  how  he  died.  There  was  nothing  to 
give  us  any  clue  to  his  identity,  with  the  exception  of  a  small 
locket  with  the  portrait  of  a  fair  young  girl,  which  he  wore 
round  his  neck.  I  put  it  upon  the  dead  man's  breast,  and  took 
care  to  have  it  buried  with  him  in  the  small  grave  that  had 
been  dug  to  receive  his  body,  under  the  shade  of  a  large  cher 
ry  tree.  How  many  must  have  died  in  a  similar  manner,  far 
from  their  friends,  without  one  word  of  consolation,  without 
one  friendly  look  to  cheer  their  last  moments ! 

But  enough  of  this  :  I  could  describe  a  hundred  similar 
scenes  which  I  witnessed  in  the  hospitals,  but  the  liveliest 
imagination  of  the  reader  could  not  portray  the  sad  reality  of 
such  pictures  of  woe  and  misery  as  it  was  my  fate  to  behold. 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  101 

If  the  great  and  powerful  among  men  could  but  once  make 
themselves  acquainted,  by  personal  observation,  with  such 
hospital  scenes,  they  would  shudder  more  than  they  are  prone 
to  do  at  the  horrors  of  war,  and  would  resolve  never  to  draw 
the  sword  or  advocate  a  resort  to  it  for  any  light  cause. 

Our  Generals  did  their  best  to  reorganize  the  army,  and 
proceeded  to  draw  up  a  report  of  the  battle,  but  this  was  but 
imperfectly  accomplished.  Johnston's  and  Longstreet's  brig 
ades  had  suffered  most,  as  they  were  nearly  the  whole  day  under 
fire.  Nearly  every  company  lost  from  forty  to  fifty  men  in 
killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  in  officers  especially  was  ex 
cessive,  some  regiments  having  nearly  every  officer  hors  de 
combat.  The  deaths  of  Generals  Bee,  Barlow,  and  Fisher  were 
universally  regretted.  .General  Barlow  fell  at  the  head  of  the 
4th  Georgia  regiment,  and  with  his  dying  breath  encouraged 
his  men.  Fisher  had  only  arrived  a  few  days  previously  with 
the  6th  North  Carolina  regiment,  and  here  found  the  death  of 
a  hero.  General  Bee,  a  former  pupil  at  West  Point,  was  much 
beloved  by  his  men ;  he  fell  in  the  last  attack,  and  his  troops 
became  almost  frantic  when  they  learned  the  death  of  their 
commander. 

According  to  the  report  drawn  up,  the  loss  of  the  Confed 
erate  army  was  879  men  killed,  and  2,963  wounded.  The  loss 
of  the  Federal  army  could  not  have  been  less — rather  greater 
if  anything.  The  brigades  of  Generals  Tyler,  Heintzelman, 
Hunter,  and  Franklin  were  fearfully  cut  up.  These  troops, 
officers  and  men,  who  held  out  to  the  very  last,  are  entitled  to 
the  highest  praise.  Griffin's  battery  rendered  admirable  ser 
vice. 

The  spoils  won  by  the  Confederate  army  were  very  con 
siderable.  Besides  capturing  28  guns,  partly  dismounted, 
they  took  about  1,600  prisoners,  including  several  officers, 
a  quantity  of  arms,  carriages,  ammunition,  baggage,  &c. ; 
amongst  other  things,  a  state  carriage  and  pair,  in  the  inside 
of  which  a  pair  of  epaulettes  were  found,  without  an  owner. 


102  WAE    PICTUKES. 

A  rumor  prevailed  that  this  was  the  victorious  car  of  General 
Scott,  in  which  he  had  intended  to  make  his  triumphal  entry 
into  Richmond. 

However,  the  severe  blow  dealt  to  the  Federal  cause  by 
the  defeat  at  Manassas,  so  far  from  discouraging  the  Union 
Government,  aroused  it  to  new  activity.  A  desire  for  ven 
geance  spread  through  the  whole  North.  The  greatest  excite 
ment  prevailed;  recruits  poured  in  from  all  quarters;  and 
in  a  short  time  a  larger  and  more  powerful  army  was  collected 
and  brought  into  training  than  ever  before  was  seen  on  that 
continent.  General  M'Clellan  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  this  army,  and  it  may  be  fairly  asserted  that  if  this  general 
had  held  the  command  a  few  weeks  earlier,  the  battle  of 
Manassas  would  not  have  been  lost. 

In  the  South,  on  the  other  hand,  matters  proceeded  more 
recklessly  than  ever.  No  attempt  was  made  to  remedy  the 
confusion  and  carelessness  that  had  got  the  upper  hand.  Our 
politicians  were  intoxicated  with  the  success  of  our  arms. 
They  felt  as  if  they  could  dictate  to  the  world.  "  Had  not 
the  battle  of  Manassas,"  they  reasoned,  "shown  that  we 
possessed  the  best  generals  in  the  world,  that  every  soldier 
was  a  hero, — in  short,  that  the  South  must  conquer,  and  that 
the  subjugation  of  the  North  was  at  hand  1 " 


RICHMOND.  103 


CHAPTER  X. 

RICHMOND   AFTER    THE    BATTLE    OF   MANASSAS. 

Rejoicing  in  the  town— Adventurers— Gambling  hells— Provost-Marshal  Winder- 
Secret  police — John  Minor  Botts  one  of  their  innocent  victims — His  sufferings 
—Deplorable  state  of  Richmond. 

THE  exultation  at  the  defeat  of  the  great  Federal  army  bor 
dered  in  Richmond  upon  the  fabulous.  The  whole  town  was 
in  a  state  of  the  greatest  excitement,  and  this  was  kept  up  by 
the  public  press.  Since  the  Government  had  fixed  its  seat  at 
Richmond,  a  complete  change  seemed  to  have  come  over  the 
population.  The  town  was  thronged  with  adventurers  from 
every  quarter ;  and  the  population,  which  was  formerly  30,000, 
had  greatly  increased.  A  number  of  gambling  houses  from 
New  Orleans  and  California  had  started  into  existence,  and 
were  plying  their  nefarious  trade  with  an  impudence  that  is 
scarcely  credible.  They  seemed  to  spring  out  of  the  earth 
like  weeds,  so  that  Richmond  in  a  short  time  counted  no  less 
than  one  hundred  and  seventy  of  them.  Added  to  this, 
robberies  of  the  worst  description  were  perpetrated  amongst 
our  quiet  population,  so  that  the  better  classes  began  seriously 
to  think  of  migrating  from  Richmond  into  the  interior  of  the 
country. 

The  Government  having  lost  nearly  all  power  of  control, 
appointed  as  provost-marshal  for  the  State  of  Virginia,  with 
the  rank  of  a  brigadier-general,  a  former  colonel  of  the 


104  WAR    PICTURES. 

United  States  army,  J.  H.  Winder,  of  Baltimore.  All  the 
Baltimore  men  who  had  taken  up  their  quarters  at  Kichmond 
now  fancied  they  could  all  have  their  own  way,  and  scenes 
occurred  which  created  the  greatest  alarm  amongst  the  peace 
able  citizens.  In  the  public  streets,  at  the  theatre,  and  in  the 
boarding  houses,  men  were  attacked  and  murdered,  and  at 
night  scarcely  any  one  dared  to  walk  in  the  streets.  General 
Winder,  who  seriously  intended  to  put  down  these  disorders, 
formed  a  secret  police,  which,  however,  unfortunately  con 
sisted  for  the  most  part  of  banished  Baltimore  men,  and,  to 
their  disgrace  be  it  said,  of  a  number  of  German  Jews.  A 
fearful  state  of  things  now  grew  up  in  Eichmond.  Assassina 
tions  and  murder  were  the  order  of  the  day ;  all  attempts  of 
General  Letcher  and  Mayor  Mayo  to  restore  the  former  state 
of  order  and  tranquillity  failed  in  presence  of  this  secret  police, 
whose  first  victims  were  a  number  of  our  most  esteemed 
citizens — amongst  others,  the  Hon.  John  Minor  Botts. 

The  accusation  brought  against  him  was  that  he  was  in 
secret  communication  with  the  enemy,  that  he  was  a  member 
of  a  secret  society,  whose  object  was  to  capture  President 
Davis  and  his  Cabinet,  and  to  give  them  up  to  the  enemy. 
To  crown  this  act  of  villany,  an  individual  from  New  Orleans, 
who  had  brought  with  him  the  reputation  of  a  resurrectionist, 
and  had  only  escaped  imprisonment  by  flight,  came  forward 
as  accuser.  Despite  the  evident  proofs  of  the  falsity  of  the 
accusation,  the  secret  police  kept  hold  of  their  victim.  These 
scoundrels  wished  especially  to  show  the  Government  that 
they  did  not  earn  their  pay  for  nothing,  but  that  they  had  a 
care  to  the  safety  of  President  Jefferson  Davis.  The  town, 
on  the  other  hand,  was  not  quieter  or  safer.  Peaceable 
citizens,  at  their  daily  avocations,  were  attacked  by  armed 
soldiers,  whilst  drunken  bands  rendered  the  country  unsafe 
for  miles  round.  Against  these  scandalous  proceedings  the 
police  took  no  measures  ;  but  worthy  citizens  not  chargeable 
with  any  misdemeanor,  except  that  of  being  loyal  subjects 


NTTMEEOUS   ARRESTS   AT    RICHMOND.  105 

and  well  inclined  toward  the  United  States  Government,  were 
brought  before  the  Provost-Marshal  and  locked  up. 

Whenever  the  old  State  Government  of  Virginia  made  a 
show  of  punishing  the  real  disturbers  of  the  town,  these  men 
were  forcibly  rescued  by  the  secret  police  and  allowed  to 
resume  their  villainous  work. 

For  a  long  time  did  John  Minor  Botts,  accused  of  being  a 
traitor,  remain  a  prisoner  in  durance ;  and  it  is  almost  a 
miracle  that,  in  face  of  the  mob,  which  was  urged  on  by  the 
newspapers,  he  escaped  with  his  life.  If  ever  the  United 
States  has  to  indemnify  a  brave  patriot  for  ill  treatment,  John 
Minor  Botts  is  the  man. 

Attacked  and  persecuted  on  all  sides,  unprotected  by  his 
own  Government,  placed  at  the  tender  mercies  of  an  excited 
populace,  he  throughout  displayed  the  calmness  and  dignity 
of  a  man  conscious  of  his  right,  and  claiming  to  be  regarded 
as  a  free  citizen  of  the  United  States.  Declining  all  the 
proposals  of  the  new  Government,  he  remained  true  to  his 
convictions. 

The  arrests  at  Richmond  increased  daily.  An  imprudent 
word  heard  by  one  of  the  secret  police  agents,  who  were 
always  spying  about  to  get  men  into  their  clutches,  was 
sufficient  to  bring  the  speaker  before  the  Provost-Marshal, 
and  from  thence  to  prison.  Owing  to  the  prevailing  espion 
age,  no  one  felt  himself  any  longer  free,  or  safe  from  his 
neighbor ;  even  friends  of  long  standing  began  to  mistrust 
each  other.  A  fearful  state  of  things  had  befallen  Richmond, 
which  will  ever  be  remembered  by  its  inhabitants.  In  this 
city,  as  elsewhere  in  the  South,  trade  and  commerce  came  to 
a  standstill,  so  much  so  that  no  man  would  buy  or  sell  or 
barter.  It  was  just  as  if  the  town  had  been  occupied  by 
hostile  troops,  bent  upon  doing  all  they  could  to  effect  its 
ruin.  Richmond  during  this  period,  owing  to  the  misman 
agement  of  the  authorities,  friends,  and  protectors,  lost  all  its 
former  prosperity ;  and  the  once  fine,  flourishing  town  had 
5* 


106  WAR  PICTURES. 


more  the  appearance  of  a  den  of  robbers  than  the  chosen 
meeting  place  of  the  friends  of  their  country-.  Many  an 
honest  citizen  in  this  fearful  time  offered  up  a  heartfelt  prayer 
to  Heaven  :  "  Preserve  me,  O  Lord,  from  my  friends,  for  I 
have  no  fear  of  the  enemy." 


BEAUKEGARD.  107 


CHAPTER   XI. 

BEAUREGARD  COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE 
POTOMAC. 

The  victors  at  Manaseas— Inertness  of  the  Confederates— Activity  of  M'Clellan 
— Beauregard  fortifies  Virginia— Disorders  and  sickness  in  camp— Beauregard 
goes  to  the  Mississippi— The  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

WHILST  the  enemy  was  working  with  the  utmost  zeal  to 
remedy  the  losses  which  they  had  suffered)  and  whilst  their 
whole  attention  was  concentrated  on  improving  the  condition 
of  their  troops,  carefully  adopting  every  measure  which 
tended  to  repair  the  injuries  they  had  received,  our  generals 
did  literally  nothing  in  the  way  of  preparation  for  the  future. 
The  genius  of  Generals  Smith,  Jackson,  and  Johnston  had 
shone  out  brightly  at  the  battle  of  Manassas.  It  was  they 
who  saved  the  honor  of  the  day,  and  turned  the  balance  of 
victory  in  our  favor.  Beauregard  was,  however,  the  ostensi 
ble  hero  of  Manassas,  the  man,  too,  who  took  Fort  Sumter ; 
and  whosoever  entertained  any  doubts  on  the  subject,  had 
only  to  purchase,  at  the  cost  of  two  cents,  the  Richmond 
Despatch,  where  it  was  printed  in  black  and  white  that  the 
most  victorious  warrior  of  the  age  was  no  other  than  Gen 
eral  Beauregard.  It  was  really  most  surprising  to  observe 
the  inertness  which  followed  the  battle  of  Manassas.  Our 
War  Department,  our  generals,  our  soldiers,  were  all  re 
posing  on  their  laurels,  lost  in  the  happiest  dreams  of  their 


108  WAK   PICTUEES. 

late  success.  Nothing  was  done  toward  insuring  the  fruits 
of  this  victory.  The  idea  of  having  beaten  the  Northern 
army  was  so  consoling,  that  the  Southerners  began  to  think 
that  what  every  experienced  military  man  urged — namely, 
that  the  soldier  should  be  taught,  as  he  had  still  everything 
to  learn — was  pure  folly.  "  We  have  now,"  they  said, 
"  beaten  the  greatest  general  of  the  age,"  (for  poor  Winfield 
Scott  was  up  to  that  time  so  regarded,)  "  we  have  destroyed 
his  army,  and  consequently  it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to 
drill,  exercise,  and  do  other  things  of  that  kind ;  they  would 
now  be  superfluous." 

"  Europeans,"  they  said,  "  who  do  not  know  how  to  kill 
time,  and  who  are  not  made  of  the  same  stuff  as  we,  who  all 
are  born  heroes  and  soldiers,  believe  in  all  this  nonsense. 
We  need  only  draw  our  dreaded  bowie  knives,  and  every 
enemy  who  is  able  to  run  will  do  so." 

These  ideas  predominated  among  the  soldiers  of  the  army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  the  officers  took  no  pains  to  counteract 
them.  This  was  indeed  a  great  pity,  as  the  raw  material 
existed,  and  every  element  was  there  for  the  creation  of  a 
firstrate  army,  if  in  the  hands  of  a  general  competent  to  the 
task.  When  General  M'Clellan  was  appointed  to  the  su 
preme  command  of  the  Federal  army,  and  set  to  work  to 
strengthen  his  position  by  the  construction  of  fieldworks,  in 
order  to  be  enabled  to  proceed  the  better  with  the  reorgani 
zation  of  his  forces,  Beauregard  at  last  began  to  bestir  him 
self  and  to  rouse  his  officers  and  men  from  their  lethargy. 
Fortified  works  on  a  grand  scale  were  now  undertaken,  and, 
indeed,  the  preparations  were  so  extensive  that  it  appeared 
as  if  the  whole  State  of  Virginia  was  to  be  fortified.  No 
steps  were,  however,  taken  to  provide  for  a  winter  campaign, 
for  the  erection  of  hospitals,  the  improvement  of  the  roads, 
or  the  instruction  of  the  soldiers.  While  the  strict  blockade 
maintained  by  the  United  States  fleet  deprived  us  of  many 
necessaries. 


CHANGE    OF   COMMANDER.  109 

We  were  especially  ill  provided  with  medicines  and 
clothes,  and  the  troops  suffered  greatly  in  consequence. 
Added  to  this,  sickness  broke  out  in  Beauregard's  camp.  It 
was  the  more  serious,  inasmuch  as  our  authorities .  had  never 
directed  their  attention  to  any  sanitary  precautions.  Wound 
ed  men  and  horses  were  alike  treated  in  the  most  negligent 
manner,  and  the  consequences  were  indeed  appalling.  Dead 
horses  lay  about  in  hundreds  as  they  had  fallen,  and  nobody 
seemed  to  care  about  it,  or  to  take  any  steps  to  put  an  end  to 
a  state  of  things  so  detrimental  to  the  health  of  the  army. 
Before  long,  the  hospitals  in  Beauregard's  camp  became  enor 
mously  overcrowded,  and  the  scythe  of  death  reaped  a  large 
harvest  in  the  narrow  lanes  of  the  camp,  mowing  down  the 
lately  blooming  youth  of  the  South.  Happily  for  the  army, 
General  Beauregard  received  orders  to  assume  the  command 
of  the  Confederate  army  on  the  Mississippi,  and  he  at  once 
left  for  his  new  destination,  to  try  conclusions  with  the 
Federal  General  Buell.  It  was,  indeed,  high  time  for  a 
change  in  the  administration  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
as  the  demoralization,  negligence,  and  the  lax  discipline 
which  permitted  the  soldiers  to  assume  a  bearing  which 
verged  on  actual  insubordination,  were  becoming  quite  un 
bearable.  Pale,  haggard  faces  peered  out  upon  you  from  the 
tents,  and  forms  worn  to  the  bone  by  hunger  and  disease 
tottered  about.  Nobody  seemed  to  exert  any  authority,  and 
nobody  was  disposed  to  obey.  Like  master,  like  man;  no 
one  cared  for  the  other;  no  one  looked  to  the  future — all 
lived  for  the  day,  as  if  no  to-morrow  was  to  come,  and  there 
was  no  enemy  to  contend  with.  Beauregard  left  his  army  in 
the  most  deplorable  condition,  hurrying  straight  to  the  scene 
of  his  future  defeat,  a  defeat  which  he  had  only  escaped  at 
Manassas  by  sheer  good  fortune. 


110  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

THE    CAMPAIGN    IN   WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

"Western  Virginia — General  "Wise— General  Henningsen — Headquarters,  Charles 
ton,  Va.— The  enemy  crosses  the  Ohio— General  Wise  abandons  Charleston, 
and  hands  over  the  command  to  Henningsen. 

THE  campaign  which  now  commenced  in  Western  Virginia 
offered  features  of  peculiar  interest.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  the  Confederate  Government  did  not  sufficiently  appre 
ciate  the  value  of  this  mountainous  region.  It  was  looked 
upon  as  a  sort  of  Siberia,  and  the  generals  and  troops  sent 
there  were  regarded  as  exiles. 

General  Wise,  who  was  feared  .on  account  of  his  upright 
and  straightforward  character,  received  orders  to  establish  his 
headquarters  in  Western  Virginia ;  to  drive  back  the  Federal 
troops,  which  had  already  crossed  the  Ohio ;  to  keep  the  coun 
try  clear,  and  to  make  a  demonstration  in  the  direction  of 
Wheeling,  in  order  to  dislodge  the  Virginian  Legislature, 
which  still  lingered  there  and  remained  true  to  the  Union. 
This  was  no  small  task  in  itself;  but  the  orders  which  had 
been  given  him  with  no  friendly  intent,  did  not  daunt  the  old 
soldier.  He  inquired  with  quiet  earnestness  of  manner,  what 
troops  would  be  placed  at  his  disposal  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his  task,  and  was  told  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  as  the 
Government  had  principally  to  keep  the  Potomac  in  view, 


GENEEAL  WISE.  Ill 

the  War  Department  was  under  the  necessity  of  sending  all 
reinforcements  in  that  direction;  that  he  (General  Wise) 
must  endeavor  to  collect  what  troops  he  could  in  Virginia 
itself,  and  that  the  Government  would  take  care  that  he 
should  be  well  supplied  with  ammunition. 

Any  other  general  would,  in  all  probability,  have  thrown 
up  his  commission.  General  Wise,  however,  politely  took 
leave  of  the  official  authorities,  and  resolved  to  accomplish 
the  difficult  task  allotted  to  him. 

At  Eichmond  his  friends  received  him  with  the  most 
hearty  welcome.  Officers  and  men  tendered  their  services. 
General  Henningsen,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  well  known  in 
Europe,  was  one  of  the  first  to  wait  upon  him.  General 
Henningsen,  a  man  gifted  with  a  fine  commanding  exterior, 
and  endowed  with  great  abilities,  proffered  his  services  in 
the  most  handsome  manner.  General  Wise,  though  suffering 
from  ill  health,  then  worked  day  and  night  in  making  the 
necessary  preparations  for  the  campaign.  He  issued  a  procla 
mation  to  the  people  of  Virginia,  which  was  heartily  responded 
to.  In  a  short  time,  having  assembled  a  considerable  force, 
he  resolved  to  move  his  headquarters  to  Louisburg.  From 
this  point  he  proceeded  down  the  Kanawha  Valley,  where  he 
was  received  with  great  respect,  not  from  his  being  a  general 
of  the  Confederate  army,  but  from  the  grateful  sense  enter 
tained  of  his  conduct  when  formerly  acting  as  governor  of 
that  district. 

The  Virginian  representative  at  Congress  was  George 
Summers,  member  of  the  Washington  Government,  who  en 
joined  his  constituents  to  remain  true  to  the  Union,  or,  at 
least,  to  observe  a  strict  neutrality. 

General  Wise,  without  impediment,  arrived  at  the  small 
town  of  Charleston,  and  there  established  his  headquarters. 

In  a  short  time  his  little  army  numbered  2,500  infantry, 
700  cavalry,  and  three  battalions  of  artillery.  Colonel  Tomp- 
kins,  formerly  in  the  United  States  army,  joined  him  shortly 


112  WAR    PICTURES. 

afterward  with  a  few  companies,  which  brought  up  his 
effective  strength  to  4,000  men.  As  regards  the  Virginian 
recruits,  or  volunteers,  they  were  scarcely  of  any  use  what 
ever.  General  Wise  chiefly  depended  upon  a  small  body  of 
men,  consisting  of  one  company  under  the  command  of  his 
son,  and  upon  three  to  four  squadrons  of  cavalry,  and  the 
artillery,  which  was  deficient,  however,  in  guns. 

The  [Federal  troops  took  up  a  position  at  Parkersburg 
and  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  Ohio.  Their  commander  having 
ordered  his  troops  up  the  Kanawha  river,  in  order  to  dispute 
the  possession  of  the  valley,  General  Wise  directed  Colonel 
Patton  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  river.  An  engagement 
ensued,  in  which  Colonel  Patton  was  severely  wounded ;  but 
he  succeeded  partially  in  driving  back  the  enemy. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  news  arrived  of  General 
M'Clellan's  success  at  Rich  Mountain.  General  Wise  there 
upon,  fearing  an  attack  from  superior  forces,  ordered  de 
fensive  works  to  be  constructed  on  Gauley  river,  and  sent  in 
a  report  of  what  he  had  done  to  the  Government  at  Rich 
mond,  requesting  reinforcements  and  supplies  of  arms  and 
ammunition.  Suddenly  the  news  reached  the  camp  that  the 
enemy,  after  crossing  the  Ohio,  had  arrived  at  Marietta. 
General  Wise  immediately  advanced  against  them.  An  en. 
gagement  ensued,  in  which  the  enemy  got  the  worst  of  it  and 
retreated.  The  tide  of  battle,  however,  turned  presently  after, 
and  after  a  brilliant  cavalry  engagement,  General  Wise  found 
it  advisable  to  fall  back  on  Charleston  (Va.).  Colonel  Tomp- 
kins,  who  commanded  at  Charleston,  was  ordered  to  send 
forward  all  the  troops  he  could  spare  toward  Ripley,  while 
Colonel  Richardson,  who  commanded  the  important  post  at 
Gauley  Bridge,  was  ordered  to  keep  a  sharp  look  out  for 
General  Rosecrans,  lest  he  should  make  a  diversion  on  Gauley 
river,  which  would  have  placed  General  Wise  in  the  predica 
ment  of  surrendering  at  discretion  to  the  enemy. 

General  Wise  effected  his  retreat  in  good  order.     After 


GENERAL   WISE    RESIGNS. 


113 


setting  fire  to  Charleston  he  withdrew  to  Gauley  Bridge.  He 
sent  his  son,  Captain  Wise,  to  Richmond,  to  lay  a  complaint 
before  the  Confederate  Government  that  he  had  not  been 
properly  supported,  and  tendered  his  resignation,  offering  the 
command  to  General  Henningsen,  which  was  accepted. 


LIBRA  k  i 

UNI  'V  KKS  IT  Y   OF  j 

CALIFORNIA. 


114  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

OPERATIONS  ON  GAULEY  RIVER. 

General  Henningsen  assumes  the  command  of  "Wise's  legion— Floyd  as  a  genera. 
—Floyd  and  Wise— Awkward  position  of  the  General— Floyd  is  attacked— 
His  defeat— Hasty  flight— His  report  to  the  Ministry  of  War. 

GENERAL  HENNINGSEN  is  one  of  those  men  who  speak  little, 
but  act  quickly  and  with  decision.  He  knew  how  to  gain  the 
love  and  confidence  of  his  soldiers  in  the  highest  degree.  As 
soon  as  he  had  reached  the  headquarters  of  General  Wise, 
there  to  assume  the  command,  after  a  short  interview  the 
two  officers  soon  understood  each  other,  and  Henningsen, 
without  loss  of  time,  ordered  a  careful  reorganization  of  the 
army,  which  had  suffered  considerably  from  fatiguing 
marches. 

In  a  few  days  it  was  manifest  that  an  able  soldier  had 
taken  command  ;  so  that  all  the  Government  had  to  do  was 
to  send  reinforcements,  ammunition,  arms,  and  money  to  pay 
the  troops.  The  Confederate  Brigadier-General  Floyd,  the 
former  Secretary  of  War  of  the  United  States,  who  had  taken 
up  a  position  in  Whiteville,  near  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee 
Railway,  received  orders  to  hasten  his  arrangements,  and 
proceed  to  the  support  of  General  Wise's  legion.  General 
Floyd,  however,  preferred  a  more  quiet  kind  of  life.  He 
liked  to  receive  his  friends  at  his  country  seat  in  the  vicinity, 
where  they  could  thoroughly  enjoy  themselves  at  his  well- 
furnished  table,  with  his  excellent  wines. 


GENERAL  FLOYD'S  DOINGS.  115 

Generals  Floyd  and  Wise  were  bitter  enemies.  Floyd 
often  laughed  at  Wise's  mishaps,  and  when  urged  by  the 
latter  to  hasten  his  preparations,  he  coolly  replied,  that  as 
soon  as  he  had  assembled  his  troops  he  should  move  ;  adding 
that  he  would  undertake  to  drive  General  Rosecrans  across 
the  Ohio  in  a  fortnight. 

Floyd  was  much  given  to  expatiate  on  the  great  and 
mighty  deeds  that  were  to  immortalize  his  name.  He  was 
liberal  too  in  making  presents.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore, 
that  under  such  circumstances,  he  had  many  friends  and  ad 
mirers  ready  to  sing  his  praises. 

He  remained,  meantime,  quietly  at  his  country  seat ;  and 
it  was  not  until  he  had  been  repeatedly  urged  to  move,  that 
he  resolved  to  start  with  his  troops  and  afford  relief  to  poor 
General  Wise. 

He  now  proceeded  to  organize  his  staff.  For  its  chief,  he 
appointed  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Lynchburg  Re 
publican  (a  paper  said  to  be  in  Floyd's  pay).  His  first  aide- 
de-camp  was  the  sub-editor  of  the  same  paper;  chief  engineer, 
a  former  mechanist ;  the  leader  of  his  cavalry,  a  farmer 
named  Harnan,  to  whom  he  solemnly  promised  to  bring  back 
the  cavalry  precisely  in  the  same  condition  in  which  it  was 
on  going  forth  to  the  wars :  that  is  to  say,  without  any  loss 
whatever.  Floyd  must,  therefore,  have  fully  intended  to 
spare  his  men  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  avoid  fighting. 

These  extraordinary  arrangements  having  been  completed, 
General  Floyd  resolved  to  commence  his  victorious  career. 
He  sent  his  baggage  and  guns  to  the  railway  depot,  that  they 
might  be  forwarded  as  far  as  possible  by  the  train  ;  but  here 
he  met  with  a  sad  obstruction.  Nothing  had  been  prepared  for 
such  an  eventuality,  neither  carts  nor  horses ;  and  although 
the  great  general  had  held  his  headquarters  at  Whiteville  for 
three  months,  he  was  quite  ignorant  of  the  capabilities  of  the 
railway  for  military  purposes.  So  he  had  to  issue  an  order 
for  the  baggage  and  artillery  to  be  taken  on  to  the  depot  at 
Newbern,  to  have  it  conveyed  from  thence. 


116  WAK    PICTURES. 

After  a  three  days'  march,  the  officers  charged  with  the 
mission  met  with  the  same  annoying  obstacle,  nothing  having 
been  done  here  to  provide  the  means  of  transport.  The  wag 
ons  and  batteries  had,  therefore,  to  return  to  Whiteville, 
and  to  proceed  thence  over  the  hills  to  the  appointed  place  of 
meeting,  White  Sulphur  Spring. 

Floyd's  brigade  now  began  to  move  like  a  worm,  whilst 
the  chief  of  his  staff  and  his  aide-de-camp  gave  a  grand  account 
of  the  wonderful  march  in  the  Lynchburg  Republican.  The 
store  of  flour  at  Wolf  Creek,  which  had  been  six  months 
there,  was  found  unfit  for  use ;  the  bridges  over  the  streams 
were  broken  down,  and  the  roads  in  such  a  state  that  they 
were  scarcely  passable  even  for  pedestrians,  much  less  for 
baggage  and  artillery.  At  a  distance  of  scarcely  forty  miles 
from  the  city,  one  of  his  12-pounder  rifled  cannon  fell  down 
a  declivity,  killing  men  and  horses.  Thus  his  operations 
commenced  with  a  bad  omen.  Moreover,  on  the  road,  many 
of  his  men  deserted  ;  and  when,  at  last,  after  a  most  fatiguing 
march,  the  brigade  reached  the  appointed  rendezvous,  instead 
of  3,400  men,  with  which  he  started,  it  numbered  only  1,200. 
It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  before  having  seen  a  battle  field, 
the  precious  management  of  the  commander  had  ruined  the 
efficiency  of  his  brigade. 

Meantime,  Wise's  legion,  under  the  admirable  manage 
ment  of  General  Henningsen,  had  undergone  a  'complete 
metamorphosis,  and,  considering  the  few  means  placed  at  his 
disposal  by  the  Government  at  Richmond,  he  had  already 
effected  wonders.  Both  officers  and  men  placed  the  fullest 
confidence  in  him.  Great  as  were  his  deserts,  he  was  not 
properly  appreciated  by  the  Confederate  Government — most 
probably  by  reason  of  his  being  a  foreigner.  This  would 
have  not  prejudiced  his  chances  of  success,  had  he  been  in 
clined  to  take  service  in  the  Federal  army. 

After  much  delay,  Floyd's  brigade  did  at  last  make  its 
appearance,  and  still  later  came  the  general  himself.  The 


FLOYD    AND   WISE.     •  ^  117 

meeting  of  Floyd  and  Wise  was  anything  but  amiable.  Gen 
eral  Floyd,  as  holding  superior  rank,  received  with  a  patroniz 
ing  air  General  Wise's  address,  and  his  report  on  the  state 
of  the  brigade  and  the  measures  he  deemed  advisable.  It  was 
really  humiliating  for  the  old  officer,  who  had  just  gone 
through,  if  not  a  successful,  at  least  an  honorable  campaign, 
to  find  himself  the  subordinate  of  a  man  whom  he  despised, 
and  from  whom,  he  knew  very  well,  he  had  to  expect  every 
species  of  petty  annoyance,  for  the  mean  gratification  of  show 
ing  off  his  superior  rank.  With  a  proud  bearing,  and  earnest 
look,  General  Wise  paid  his  visit,  but  declined  the  proffered 
hand,  and  in  a  few  curt  words  said  that  he  awaited  his  supe 
rior  officer's  orders.  On  General  Floyd  inquiring  into  the 
condition  of  his  troops,  Wise  replied  that  he  would  order  the 
chief  of  his  staff  to  present  him  with  the  lists,  and  thus  the 
two  commanders  separated  as  unreconciled  as  before. 

On  the  same  day,  General  Floyd  received  reenfor cements 
from  the  1st  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Virginia  regiments, 
and  also  nine  guns  from  the  regular  army,  which  gave  to  his 
brigade  a  formidable  accession  of  strength.  On  the  following 
day  a  general  order  was  issued  by  Generals  Floyd  and  Wise 
for  the  troops  to  advance  to  Sewell  Mountain. 

Floyd  then  proceeded  westward  toward  Sewell  Moun 
tain,  where  he  was  followed,  a  few  days  afterward,  by  Wise's 
legion ;  and  after  driving  in  the  enemy's  outposts,  he  rapidly 
approached  his  destination. 

General  Rosecrans  now  withdrew  his  advanced  troops 
from  Locust  Lane  and  took  up  a  position  near  Hawk's  Nest, 
there  to  await  the  further  operations  of  our  generals.  Gen 
eral  Floyd,  unmolested,  reached  Dogwood  Gap,  where  the 
road  from  Summersville  crosses  that  from  Louisburg  to 
Charleston  (Va.)  Here  he  placed  in  position  a  small  battery 
of  two  guns  to  prevent  a  flank  movement  on  the  side  of  the 
Federal  general  Cox,  who  was  at  Carnifex  Ferry  with  about 
2,000  men. 


118  g  WAR    PICTUEES. 

The  main  body  of  the  troops  then  took  the  direction  ol 
Picket's  Mill,  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  enemy's  outposts. 
Scarcely  had  we  arrived  there  when  two  orderlies  hastened 
up  to  inform  us  that  the  enemy's  generals,  Matthews  and 
Tyler,  had  made  a  show  of  attacking  our  rear.  General 
Floyd  immediately  broke  up  his  camp  and  commenced  his 
march  about  midnight,  to  save  his  rear  as  well  as  his  baggage, 
both  of  which  were  in  danger. 

Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  were  ordered  to  hold 
Picket's  Mill  at  all  risks,  and  to  prevent  any  flank  movement 
the  enemy  might  attempt  at  Hawk's  Nest.  Floyd  marched 
with  his  brigade  rapidly  on  Carnifex  Ferry,  which  place  he 
reached  about  noon.  He  found  on  his  arrival  there  that  the 
United  States  troops  had  made  a  retrograde  movement  to 
prevent  an  attack  by  our  troops  on  Hawk's  Nest.  General 
Floyd  then  resolved  to  raise  the  boats  which  the  enemy  had 
sunk,  and  therewith  convey  his  troops  to  the  opposite  bank  to 
take  possession  of  the  favorable  position  abandoned  by  the 
enemy.  As  soon  as  the  chief  of  the  engineers  had  informed 
General  Floyd  that  he  had  completed  that  prodigious  feat, 
which  took  him  full  twenty-four  hours,  whilst  General  Price, 
in  half  that  time,  took  an  army  of  13,000  men  across  the 
river  Osage,  the  troops  were  at  once  conveyed  across  to  the 
other  side.  The  infantry  got  safely  over,  but  in  conveying 
the  cavalry,  one  of  the  large  boats  was  upset,  and  six  men 
and  two  horses  were  drowned.  The  unfortunate  general  now 
found  himself  in  an  awkward  position :  there  he  was  with  his 
infantry  on  one  bank,  whilst  the  whole  of  his  cavalry  and  ar 
tillery  remained  on  the  other.  The  alarm  amongst  the  infan- 
try  became  every  minute  greater,  for  should  the  enemy  get 
wind  of  the  predicament  in  which  the  general  was  placed, 
they  would  not  have  failed  to  capture  the  whole  army  without 
firing  a  shot.  The  general  shouted  to  his  chief  of  engineers 
on  the  other  side  to  construct  boats  in  all  haste  ;  but  it  would 
have  been  just  as  easy  for  him  to  jump  over  the  moon  as  to 


PASSAGE   OP    GAULEY   KIVEE.  119 

build  a  boat.  He,  therefore,  did  the  best  thing  he  could  do ; 
he  mounted  a  horse,  and  set  off  as  hard  as  he  could  go,  to  in 
form  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  of  the  awkward  position 
of  their  comrade,  which  news  caused  the  greatest  hilarity  at 
headquarters. 

General  Henningsen,  in  this  emergency,  sent  over  his 
chief  engineer,  Captain  Bolton,*  who  constructed  floats  quite 
capable  of  taking  the  troops  across,  although  the  river  was 
now  swollen  by  heavy  rain. 

Meantime  General  Floyd  set  earnestly  to  work  to  fortify 
his  position,  and  sent  out  patrols,  to  ascertain  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  On  the  following  morning,  when  all  the  infan 
try  was  safely  over,  news  arrived  that  the  enemy,  in  great 
strength,  was  moving  down  from  Gauley  Bridge,  and  had 
already  occupied  Cross  Lane.  The  commander  of  the  Fede 
ral  troops  had  already  been  apprised  of  General  Floyd's  mis 
hap  with  the  ferry  boats,  and  hastened  to  endeavor  to  cut  off 
his  infantry.  Colonel  Tyler,  indeed,  felt  so  certain  of  Floyd 
and  his  infantry  that  he  did  not  go  to  work  seriously  enough. 
Instead  of  first  ascertaining  Floyd's  real  strength  and  the  na 
ture  of  his  position,  he  was  imprudent  enough  to  place  his 
outposts  no  further  than  200  yards  from  his  camp.  Floyd, 
on  being  informed  that  the  strength  of  the  Federal  troops  did 
not  exceed  1,200  men,  resolved  to  attack  them.  The  plan 
succeeded.  After  driving  in  the  outposts  by  a  sudden  attack, 
he  compelled  the  rest  to  beat  a  retreat.  But  this  coup-de-main 
was  not  of  much  importance,  for  the  Federal  troops  were 
driven  back  with  very  little  loss  ;  but  the  chief  of  the  staff 
delighted  the  readers  of  his  newspaper  with  a  glowing  report, 
as  if  General  Floyd  had  achieved  a  great  victory.  Floyd 
could  hardly  have  been  ignorant  of  the  motive  for  this  at 
tempt  to  glorify  him ;  moreover,  he  loved  to  see  himself  fig 
uring  in  print  as  a  great  general. 

*  An  Englishman  by  birth,  -who  had  served  in  the  British  army. 


120  WAR    PICTURES. 

This  little  affair  made  him,  his  officers  and  men  feel  quite 
presumptuous ;  indeed  the  idea  was  entertained  of  advancing 
between  the  forces  of  Rosecrans  and  Cox,  so  as  to  defeat  the 
one  in  the  vicinity  of  Hudsonville,  and  to  out  off  the  retreat 
of  the  other  on  Charleston,  and  capture  him ;  in  short,  Gen 
eral  Floyd  entertained  great  Napoleonic  ideas.  His  quarter 
masters  received  orders  to  provide  ten  days'  rations  for  the 
men,  which  was  done ;  and  his  troops  having  gained  some 
rest,  he  resolved  to  commence  operations. 

As  soon,  however,  as  General  Rosecrans  had  been  in 
formed  of  the  crossing  of  the  Gauley  river  by  Floyd's  troops, 
as  also  of  the  mishap  to  Colonel  Tyler,  as  quick  as  lightning 
he  dashed  forward  on  Floyd's  flank,  and  before  the  latter  had 
become  aware  of  his  presence  he  boldly  attacked  him,  despite 
the  fatigue  of  his  own  men,  who  had  performed  a  march  of 
twenty-five  miles  on  execrable  roads,  without  any  opportunity 
of  taking  rest ;  it  was  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that 
Floyd  could  maintain  himself  in  his  position.  At  nightfall 
General  Rosecrans  again  led  his  men  to  the  attack,  and  after 
a  short  engagement  drove  Floyd's  army  from  all  its  positions. 
Without  giving  himself  the  trouble  to  look  after  his  defeated 
men,  or  to  attempt  to  organize  an  orderly  retreat,  Floyd,  ac 
companied  by  his  staff,  was  the  first  to  reach  the  other  side 
of  Gauley  river.  Gradually  his  men  dropped  in  with  all 
haste  to  put  the  waters  of  the  stream  between  them  and  their 
pursuers.  That  so  many  of  them  contrived  to  reach  the 
other  bank  in  safety,  can  only  be  ascribed  to  the  fatigue  of 
General  Rosecrans's  troops. 

Yet  scarcely  had  General  Floyd  recovered  from  this  de 
feat  and  flight,  when  he  must  needs  appear  in  a  brilliant  light 
before  the  world,  and  accordingly  forwarded  the  following  re 
port  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War : 

"  I  am  fully  convinced  that  I  should  have  driven  back 
General  Rosecrans  on  Toussansville,  beaten  Cox's  army,  then 


FLOYD  DEFEATED  BY  BOSECEANS.          121 

marched  direct  down  the  Kanawha  valley,  and  have  occupied 
Charleston,  if  the  reinforcements  which  I  had  ordered  General 
Wise  to  send  me  had  reached  me  in  proper  time.  I  am  con 
vinced  that  if  I  had  had  6,000  men  instead  of  1,500, 1  should 
have,  annihilated  the  enemy  and  taken  the  rest  prisoners. 

«J.  B.FLOYD,  C.  S.  A." 

Now  it  is  well  known  that  as  soon  as  General  Floyd  asked 
General  Wise  to  send  him  reenforcements,  he  forthwith  com 
municated  with  General  Henningsen,  when  that  officer  started, 
in  all  haste,  to  join  him  with  2,000  men.  Moreover,  Hen 
ningsen  left  orders  for  two  other  regiments  to  follow  imme 
diately.  Not  only  did  the  last-named  general  send  off  all  the 
disposable  troops  he  could,  but  he  even  sent  more  reenforce 
ments  to  Floyd  than  he  was  justified  in  doing,  in  order  that 
he  might  give  him  the  utmost  possible  support.  Unfortu 
nately  those  troops  arrived  when  the  light-footed  Floyd  had 
already  recrossed  the  river  with  his  defeated  soldiers,  and  had 
destroyed  the  timber  bridge  which  had  been  constructed.  It 
is  likely  enough  that  General  Floyd  in  person  accompanied 
the  officer  across  the  Gauley  river  who  took  the  despatch  to 
General  Wise.  He  had  no  wish  to  be  captured  by  Rosecrans 
and  sent  off  to  Washington. 

Floyd  managed  to  save  the  greater  part  of  his  brigade. 
And  so  it  happened  that,  notwithstanding  the  simple,  truthful 
report  of  this  affair  which  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen 
sent  in  to  the  War  Department,  Floyd's  report  was  believed, 
and  he  himself  praised  for  the  great  bravery  he  had  displayed. 
6 


122  WAR   PICTURES. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

CAMP    DEFIANCE,  CHEAT    MOUNTAIN",   COTTON   HILL. 

General  Wise  proceeds  to  Fayctte  County— Vain  attack— Floyd  goes  to  Big  Sewell 
Mountain— Henningsen  and  Wise  intrench  themselves  in  Camp  Defiance— Gen 
eral  Lee  goes  to  Huttonsville — Floyd,  Wise,  and  Henningsen  operate  against 
each  other— Animosity  of  the  two  brigades— General  Lee  acts  as  conciliator- 
He  concentrates  an  army  of  28,000  men — Jackson's  defeat  at  Cheat  Mountain — 
Changes  in  the  command — Floyd  ia  appointed  to  the  chief  command — Wise  and 
Henningsen  are  compelled  to  submit — Floyd  breaks  up  Wise's  legion  and  goes 
to  Cotton  Hill— Outpost  skirmish  at  night— German  soldiers  and  their  songs— 
Rosecrans  defeats  Floyd — Floyd  is  transferred  to  Tennessee— Wise's  legion  at 
Richmond. 

WHEN  Floyd  took  post  at  Carnifex  Ferry,  General  Wise 
marched  down  Big  Creek  to  Fayette  County,  where  the  ene 
my's  troops  lay  in  considerable  numbers.  He  had  to  out 
flank  the  enemy's  position,  and  sent  Colonel  Anderson  with 
his  regiment  over  one  of  the  narrow  mountain  passes  to  at 
tack  them  on  that  side.  The  road  was,  however,  so  bad  and 
impracticable  that  Anderson  was  soon  obliged  to  return. 
Meanwhile  serious  fighting  had  taken  place  at  Big  Creek,  be 
tween  our  troops  and  the  hostile  batteries,  and  our  riflemen 
were  briskly  engaged  with  those  of  the  enemy,  without,  how 
ever,  any  result  being  attained,  and  General  Wise  was  com* 
pelled  to  fall  back  again  on  his  old  quarters. 

Meantime  General  Floyd  continued  his  retreat  toward 
Big  Sewell  Mountain,  where  he  reposed  for  a  few  days  to  give 
some  rest  to  his  men.  He  then  held  a  council  of  war,  at 


CAMP   DEFIANCE.  123 

which  it  was  unanimously  decided  to  move  still  further  back, 
and  the  army,  consequently,  retreated  twenty  miles  more. 
Generals  Wise  and  Ilenningsen  declared  to  Floyd  that  he 
might  retreat  quietly  to  Meadow  Bridge,  but  that  they  were 
determined  to  maintain  the  position  which  they  held.  Gen 
eral  Ilenningsen  ordered  Captain  Bolton  to  make  an  in 
trenched  camp,  which  received  the  name  of  Camp  Defiance. 
General  Wise  approved  the  plan  of  keeping  a  footing  here, 
so  as  to  maintain  communications  with  General  Lee  in  the 
northwest  of  Virginia,  in  order  to  carry  out  a  plan  mutually 
agreed  upon. 

In  conformity  with  this  plan,  General  Lee  had  received  in 
structions  to  take  the  remnant  of  Garnett's  corps,  which  had 
been  dispersed  by  General  M'Clellan,  and  with  this  force, 
aided  by  strong  reinforcements,  to  clear  the  northwest  coun 
ties,  which  were  occupied  in  great  strength  by  the  enemy,  and 
to  bring  them  back  to  allegiance,  as  they  were  of  great  im 
portance  to  the  Government.  This  was  Herculean  work ;  but 
General  Lee  did  not  shrink  from  it.  He  commenced  his 
march  from  Henfersville  to  Huttonsville,  with  the  intention 
of  cutting  off  the  Federal  general  Eeynolds,  with  his  6,000 
men,  posted  at  Tygart's  river.  He  ordered  General  Jackson, 
stationed  at  Greenbriar  river,  to  advance  through  Cheat  Moun 
tain  Pass,  rendered  so  celebrated  by  General  M'Clellan,  to 
outflank  the  enemy,  General  Jackson  carried  out  his  instruc* 
tions  to  the  letter,  and,  although  the  roads  were  in  a  dreadful 
state  from  heavy  rains,  he  overcame  every  obstacle,  and  ar^ 
rived  at  his  destination.  Here,  however,  he  found  the  enemy 
well  protected  by  blockhouses  and  intrenchments,  and  ready 
to  resist  any  attack. 

Not  having  received  the  signal  agreed  upon  with  General 
Lee,  General  Jackson,  after  much  exertion,  withdrew  to  his 
former  position,  Here  he  learnt  that  General  Lee,  with  all 
his  forces,  had  advanced  into  the  Kanawha  valley  to  relieve 
Generals  Wise  and  Floyd  of  their  respective  commands,  and 


124  WAR    PICTURES. 

to  drive  the  enemy  out  of  the  western  frontiers.  He  at  once 
took  the  direction  of  Meadow  Bridge,  with  all  his  troops, 
where  General  Floyd  had  established  his  headquarters,  whilst 
Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  held  their  position  at  Sewell 
Mountain. 

General  Floyd,  who  was  greatly  annoyed  at  his  having 
gone  so  far  with  his  brigade,  ordered  General  Wise  (on  the 
strength  of  his  rank  as  a  full  brigadier-general)  to  give  up 
Sewell  Mountain  and  to  retire  to  Meadow's  Bluff,  as  that  po 
sition  was  a  safer  one.  Old  Wise,  however,  knew  Floyd  too 
well,  and  was  aware  that  as  soon  as  he  obeyed  the  order, 
Floyd  would  take  the  advantage  of  the  departure  of  his  troops 
to  gain  access  to  his  position  by  another  road.  Floyd  would 
then  have  saved  his  reputation  as  a  general,  and  held  up  Wise 
to  the  derision  of  the  world  for  having  taken  flight.  General 
Wise,  therefore,  resolved  to  remain  in  his  strong  position, 
and  paid  no  further  attention  to  General  Floyd  and  his  orders. 
Floyd  thereupon  sent  a  complaint  to  the  War  Department 
against  Wise  and  Henningsen ;  and  such  a  state  of  animosity 
grew  out  of  this  between  the  two  brigades,  that  the  enemy, 
had  they  only  been  made  aware  of  it,  could  have  annihilated 
the  two  separated  corps. 

At  this  juncture,  General  Lee  made  his  appearance  with  a 
portion  of'  his  troops,  and  assumed  the  superior  command. 
He  fixed  his  headquarters  near  Floyd,  and  after  a  long  con 
versation  with  the  latter  he  hastened  to  the  camp  of  Gene 
rals  Wise  and  Henningsen  to  inspect  the  state  of  the  brigade, 
and,  if  possible,  to  put  an  end  to  the  misunderstanding  which 
existed  between  Wise  and  Floyd  and  their  respective  corps. 

General  Lee  is  an  open-hearted,  honest  soldier,  free  from 
all  that  pomposity  which  the  younger  generals  are  so  fond  of 
displaying.  After  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  had  can 
didly  and  frankly  communicated  to  him  the  details  of  their 
campaign,  he,  accompanied  by  these  generals,  inspected  the 
state  of  the  brigade  and  the  intrenchments.  After  a  careful 


GENERAL  EOSECKANS.  125 

inspection  he  expressed  his  full  satisfaction  at  the  excellent 
appearance  of  the  corps,  and  then  returned  to  Meadow  Bluff. 
He  next  ordered  Floyd's  brigade  forward  to  Big  Sewell 
Mountain,  and  desired  that  general  to  take  up  his  position 
there  without  delay.  General  Floyd,  who  had  received  large 
reinforcements,  set  to  work  at  once,  and  had  soon  a  line  of 
defence  to  the  extent  of  twelve  English  miles. 

Meantime,  General  Rosecrans  remained  inactive  at  the 
other  side  of  Sewell's  Mountain,  contenting  himself  by  merely 
sending  out  a  few  detached  companies  to  watch  the  move 
ments  of  Floyd  and  Wise,  without,  however,  firing  a  single 
shot  to  disturb  them.  General  Lee's  troops  now  advanced, 
bringing  up  the  effective  strength  of  the  army  in  Western 
Virginia  to  about  28,000  men,  with  a  very  good  park  of  ar 
tillery.  General  Lee  had  scarcely  concentrated  all  his  forces 
and  made  the  necessary  preparations  for  a  general  attack, 
when  our  patrols  and  skirmishers  brought  in  the  news  that 
during  the  night  General  Rosecrans  had  assembled  his  troops 
and  fallen  back  upon  his  position  at  Gauley  Bridge.  The  ex 
pected  battle  did  not,  therefore,  take  place,  for  General  Lee 
wisely  refrained  from  pursuit. 

General  Rosecrans  was  no  sooner  aware  of  the  presence 
of  General  Lee  and  his  forces  at  Big  Sewell  Mountain,  than 
he  hastily  gave  up  his  post  of  observation,  and  proceeded 
by  Gauley  Bridge,  Toussansville,  toward  Greenbriar  river, 
where  a  corps  of  observation,  under  the  Confederate  General 
Jackson,  was  posted. 

General  Jackson  had  not  the  slightest  notion  of  the  storm 
that  was  gathering  over  his  head.  He  was  aware  that  both 
the  enemy's  armies  were  at  Sewell's  Mountain,  and  indulged 
in  a  .feeling  of  perfect  security.  News  of  the  movements  of 
hostile  troops  on  the  road  to  Toussansville  did  not  cause  him 
the  slightest  alarm,  and  he  laughed  at  the  anxiety  expressed 
by  some  of  his  officers.  General  Jackson  had  a  number  of 
officers  on  a  visit  at  his  house,  and  was  enjoying  himself  in 


126  WAR    PICTUEES. 

their  society,  while  a  violent  autumn  storm  was  raging  out 
side.  The  company  was  startled  in  their  revelry  by  an  aide- 
de-camp  suddenly  rushing  in  with  the  news  that  large  masses 
of  troops  were  in  rapid  advance  from  Cheat  Mountain.  This 
information  was  received  with  some  derision,  but  General 
Jackson  ordered  Colonel  Rust  to  advance  with  a  battalion  to 
drive  back  the  skirmishing  force,  as  it  was  supposed  to  be, 
that  had  advanced  so  near.  A  moment  after  a  heavy  fire  of 
musketry,  accompanied  by  the  sound  of  artillery,  made  the 
guests  jump  to  their  feet.  They  all  rushed  out  uncovered  to 
their  respective  posts ;  the  enemy  was  then  already  debouch 
ing  through  the  pass,  and  kept  up  a  well-sustained  fire,  which 
caused  the  greatest  confusion  amongst  Jackson's  men,  who 
were  not  at  all  prepared  for  this  sudden  attack. 

In  vain  did  the  officers  exert  themselves  to  get  their  troops 
together  and  make  them  stand  firm  ;  it  was  impossible  to 
bring  the  men,  so  suddenly  disturbed  from  their  rest,  to  any 
sort  of  order  and  steadiness,  and  General  Rosecrans  poured 
such  deadly  volleys  into  the  assembling  troops  that  they  took 
to  flight  like  a  herd  of  startled  deer.  General  Jackson,  there 
fore,  was  soon  compelled  to  abandon  his  position,  and  to  re 
tire  to  the  mountains,  where  finally,  after  great  loss,  he  suc 
ceeded  in  taking  up  a  position  at  Ford  Creek.  The  enemy, 
satisfied  with  the  success  that  they  had  achieved,  destroyed  all 
the  buildings,  barracks,  and  fortifications,  and,  laden  with  a 
considerable  booty,  returned  again  to  their  quarters  at  Gauley 
Bridge. 

General  Lee  never  brought  General  Jackson  to  account 
for  this  mishap,  as  he  himself  was  perhaps  in  some  measure 
the  cause  of  it.  After  the  departure  of  General  Rosecrans 
from  his  front,  he  must  have  known  that  that  active  general 
would  not  so  willingly  have  left  his  position  before  Sewell 
Mountain  unless  he  saw  a  certain  chance  of  success  in  another 
quarter.  He  ought,  therefore,  at  once  to  have  informed  Jack 
son  of  Rosecrans's  movements,  and  urged  him  to  be  on  his 


CHANGE    OP   COMMAND.  127 

guard.  General  Lee,  usually  a  most  cautious  general,  did  not 
on  this  occasion  show  sufficient  prudence,  and  had  to  pay  dearly 
for  it.  Happily,  winter  now  set  in  in  these  mountains,  and 
compelled  the  hostile  parties  on  both  sides  to  remain  inactive. 
The  Secretary  of  War,  annoyed  that  General  Lee  should  have 
allowed  Rosecrans  to  escape  from  Sewell's  Mountain,  de 
prived  him  of  his  command,  and  sent  him  to  Georgia  and 
South  Carolina.  General  Loring  was  ordered  to  Winchester 
to  reinforce  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  the  latter,  after  his  mis 
hap  at  Cheat  Mountain,  had  to  transfer  his  services  to  Louisi 
ana.  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen,  moreover,  were  or 
dered  to  Richmond  to  defend  themselves  against  the  charges 
brought  against  them,  and  during  their  absence  General  Floyd 
was  appointed  to  the  chief  command  of  both  brigades. 

It  will  be  apparent  from  these  alterations  in  the  respective 
commands,  that  a  complete  change  was  effected  in  the  Virgin- 
ian  army.  General  Floyd,  on  assuming  his  new  authority, 
displayed  his  aptitude  for  command  by  contriving  so  to  mix 
up  artillery  and  cavalry,  horses  and  harnesses,  &c.,  that  if 
General  Wise  had  returned,  he  would  have  had  the  labor  of  a 
giant  to  perform,  to  put  things  straight  again. 

Winter  having  set  in  with  great  severity,  General  Floyd 
requested  the  Secretary  of  War  to  order  him  to  proceed  with 
his  brigade  to  Cotton  Hill,  in  Kanawha  valley,  as  he  should 
there  have  a  better  chance  of  encountering  General  Rosecrans. 
This  request  was  granted,  and  one  fine  day,  General  Floyd 
took  his  departure,  carrying  with  him  everything  that  he 
thought  might  be  serviceable,  and  leaving  only  a  remnant  of 
Wise's  brigade  behind. 

Cotton  Hill  is  situate  in  Fayette  county,  on  the  river 
Kanawha,  just  opposite  the  mouth  of  Gauley  river.  From 
its  heights  the  enemy's  camp  could  be  seen,  spread  over  the 
plain,  which  is  there  some  miles  in  extent;  General  Rose 
crans  having  his  headquarters  at  Hawk's  Nest,  at  the  hand- 
some  plantation  belonging  to  Colonel  Tompkins,  who  was 


128  WAR   PICTURES. 

serving  in  our  legion,  while  from  the  top  of  the  house  waved 
the  flag  of  the  United  States,  as  if  in  derision  of  the  owner. 

After  a  very  difficult  inarch,  General  Floyd  reached  Cot 
ton  Hill,  and  his  first  step  was  to  seize  all  the  boats  upon  the 
Kanawha  river.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  some  sharp  outpost 
skirmishing  commenced.  This,  which  is  always  the  most  un 
pleasant  sort  of  fighting,  was  here  particularly  so,  for  rifle 
bullets  kept  whistling  about  in  such  numbers  in  the  valley, 
that  it  was  impossible  to  relieve  guard  in  the  daytime.  The 
enemy's  riflemen  lay  concealed  behind  every  rock  and  tree, 
and  wherever  they  saw  the  slightest  stir,  crack  went  their  ri 
fles.  The  petite  guerre  carried  on  in  this  quiet  valley  was  ren 
dered  additionally  fierce  by  mutual  animosity,  for  our  men 
did  not  wish  to  remain  one  jot  behind  the  enemy  in  the  ri 
valry  of  deadly  strife.  Even  the  river  which  separated  the 
combatants  seemed  to  partake  of  the  turmoil  that  raged  on 
its  banks.  And  when  the  firing  was  over,  as  night  came  on, 
nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  roaring  of  the  waters,  inter 
mingled  now  and  then  with  snatches  of  song  from  some  of  the 
German  soldiers  on  either  side,  which  produced  a  touching 
effect  at  such  an  hour.  Ofttimes  one  of  our  Germans  could 
be  seen  leaning  on  his  rifle,  listening  to  the  sounds  of  his 
mother  tongue  as  they  wrere  wafted  over  from  the  enemy's 
camp.  At  times,  one  of  the  sentinels  would  shout  across, 
"  From  what  part  do  you  come,  countryman  ? "  "I  am  a 
Bavarian.  From  whence  art  thou  ?  "  "  Halt !  Who's 
there  ?  "  The  dialogue  is  interrupted  by  bullets  whistling  by 
in  all  directions.  Who  knows  that  those  two  Germans,  who, 
only  a  few  minutes  before,  were  talking  peacefully  together 
about  their  fatherland,  may  not  be  now  lying  dead  far  away 
from  their  native  land  ?  But  such  is  a  soldier's  life  ! 

Meantime  a  portion  of  the  cavalry  of  Wise's  legion  came 
into  camp  ;  the  General  himself,  who  still  at  Eichmond,  had 
sent  in  a  request  to  proceed  with  his  legion  to  Koanoke  Island, 
as  the  enemy  was  shortly  expected  there. 


GENERAL  ROSECRANS.  129 

The  Confederate  troops  remained  for  a  long  time  con 
fronting  the  troops  of  General  Rosecrans,  but  all  the  fighting 
was  confined  to  outpost  skirmishing.  General  Rosecrans  at 
last,  weary  of  this  inactivity,  crossed  the  river  Kanawha  one 
fine  winter's  morning,  with  two  or  three  columns,  and  sud 
denly  attacked  our  position.  General  Floyd  never  expected 
such  an  uncivil  proceeding  on  the  part  of  Rosecrans :  probably 
he  did  not  expect  to  be  molested  at  such  a  vile  season  of  the 
year,  in  his  by  no  means  comfortable  position. 

Scarcely  any  preparations  had  been  made  for  repelling  an 
attack,  as  no  one  imagined  that  we  should  have  to  encounter 
a  winter  campaign.  General  Rosecrans,  consequently,  had  it 
all  his  own  way,  especially  as  Floyd,  as  soon  as  he  heard  of 
the  enemy's  advance,  pleaded  illness  and  handed  over  the 
chief  command  to  the  head  of  his  staff,  who  deemed  the  only 
safe  course  was  to  retreat.  To  fight  shy  at  the  approach  of 
a  resolute  enemy,  seemed  to  be  a  species  of  chronic  disease 
with  both  Floyd  and  the  chief  of  his  staff.  This  time  the 
retreat  was  so  hasty,  that  a  quantity  of  property  belonging  to 
the  Government  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  It  was 
just  as  well,  however,  that  we  did  make  good  speed,  for 
Rosecrans's  advanced  troops  had  already  attacked  our  rear 
and  were  with  difficulty  kept  at  bay.  Our  troops  endeavored 
by  clambering  over  stony  paths  to  gain  the  crest  of  the 
mountain,  and  fortunately  our  rear  guard  was  commanded  by 
a  brave  officer,  Colonel  George  Croghan,  who  manfully  re 
sisted  all  the  enemy's  attacks.  For  defence  or  attack,  the 
colonel  was  always  at  hand,  and  the  safety  of  Floyd's  brigade 
was  undoubtedly  due  to  the  resolute  conduct  of  Colonel 
Croghan. 

But  my  valued  comrade  did  not  live  long  enough  to  wear 
his  laurels.  A  team  of  carts  laden  with  provisions  had  been 
delayed,  and  ran  the  risk  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  almost  at  our  heels,  and  already  sending  a 
few  bullets  amongst  us  to  hasten  our  flight ;  when  Colonel 
6* 


130  WAR    PICTURES. 

Croghan,  followed  by  twenty-five  of  his  lancers,  dashed  down 
the  road  to  check  the  enemy,  with  the  view  to  save  the  carts, 
but  he  had  scarcely  reached  the  latter,  when  two  bullets 
brought  him  to  the  ground.  His  men  on  seeing  this  imme 
diately  fled.  In  Colonel  Croghan  we  lost  a  worthy,  gallant 
comrade,  and  the  State  an  excellent  officer. 

General  Rosecrans  pursued  Floyd's  troops  for  nearly 
twenty-five  miles,  and  only  gave  up  the  chase  on  finding  the 
roads  so  blocked  up  by  broken  carts,  dismounted  guns,  and 
other  obstacles ;  he  then  left  the  brigade  to  pursue  its  way 
unmolested.  Floyd  pulled  up  at  the  banks  of  Wolf's  Creek, 
a  rocky,  uncongenial  spot,  and  then  endeavored  to  reassemble 
his  scattered  men.  In  a  few  days,  an  order  came  from  the 
War  Department,  for  General  Floyd  and  his  brigade  to  pro 
ceed  to  Tennessee,  at  the  same  time  recalling  Wise's  legion 
to  Richmond. 

Joyfully  did  Wise's  troops  part  company  with  Floyd's, 
and  a  few  days  after  Richmond  presented  an  exciting  scene. 
With  banners  flying  and  drums  beating,  the  remnants  of 
this  once  fine  legion  entered  the  town,  whilst  thousands  of 
citizens  came  forth  to  greet  the  warriors  from  the  west;  fair 
hands  waved  their  handkerchiefs  from  the  windows  in  token 
of  welcome,  whilst  the  populace  vociferously  cheered.  Yet 
many  an  eye  was  dim,  for  the  thinned  ranks  showed  the  loss 
of  many  a  lamented  relative.  A  carriage,  with  two  ladies  in 
deep  mourning,  moved  silently  along — conveying  the  mother 
and  the  intended  bride  of  Colonel  Croghan;  they  brought 
with  them  a  handsome  flag  as  a  token  of  remembrance  to  his 
regiment  of  their  late  brave  commander.  In  the  evening  a 
banquet  was  given  by  the  citizens  to  the  legion,  and  toasts 
drank  in  honor  of  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen,  and  to  the 
glory  and  prosperity  of  the  country. 


GENEBAL  M1CLELLAN.  131 


CHAPTER  XV. 

M'CLELLAN  APPOINTED  TO  THE  CHIEF  COMMAND  OF  THE 
FEDERAL  ARMY. 

M'CIellan  appointed  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  army  on  the  Potomac— Condition 
of  that  army— Its  reorganization— The  General  beloved  by  the  soldiers— Hia 
activity — His  energy  and  talent. 

AFTER  the  severe  blows  which  the  Federal  army  had  re 
ceived  at  Bull  Run  and  Manassas,  the  eyes  of  the  Govern 
ment  were  opened  to  the  fact  that  some  other  system  must 
be  adopted,  and  that  men  of  talent  were  needed  to  carry  out 
its  views ;  it  had  to  cast  about  for  a  general  who  should  be 
found  to  combine  in  his  person  all  the  qualities  necessary  to 
shield  the  country  from  a  repetition  of  such  disasters.  Now 
it  happened  that  not  long  before,  General  George  M'CIellan 
had,  with  a  mixed  body  of  troops,  in  a  country  which  had 
offered  every  facility  to  the  enemy  to  maintain  a  long  and 
wearisome  guerilla  warfare,  in  a  very  short  time  achieved  a 
victory  which  drew  upon  him  the  attention  and  favorable 
opinion  of  military  critics  both  in  his  own  country  and  in 
Europe. 

A  zealous  sense  of  duty  and  an  enthusiastic  and  patriotic 
spirit  enabled  him  to  overcome  every  obstacle  that  stood  in 
his  way.  He  understood,  as  his  recent  brilliant  success  over 
General  Garnett  amply  proved,  how  to  inspire  his  men  with 
much  of  his  own  daring  and  energy,  and  they  followed  their 


132  WAR    PICTURES. 

commander,  with  devotion,  in  the  path  which  rarely  fails  to 
lead  to  honor  and  victory. 

When,  as  already  stated,  the  Federal  Government  was 
anxiously  looking  around  for  an  efficient  general  to  organize 
as  well  as  to  lead  an  army  capable  of  protecting  the  State 
and  of  winning  victory  "back  to  the  Union  banner,  General 
Winfield  Scott,  whose  advancing  years  no  longer  allowed  him 
to  take  the  command  himself,  at  once  proposed  George 
M'Clellan  as  the  man  who  combined  the  requisite  energy  and 
talents  for  such  a  post.  The  Government  at  Washington 
followed  his  advice,  and  summoned  General  M  'Clellan  to  the 
capital ;  without  hesitation  they  intrusted  him  with  the  chief 
command  of  an  army  which,  recently  defeated  and  disorgan 
ized,  had  lost  all  confidence  in  its  commanders. 

The  army  that  needed  this  reorganization  and  a  competent 
chief  to  take  it  into  the  field  was  assembled  at  Washington 
and  its  environs.  It  was  a  difficult  task  for  any  one  to  at 
tempt,  that  of  imparting  confidence  to  a  body  of  men  who, 
from  recent  disasters,  had  been  completely  discouraged. 
However,  General  Scott  succeeded  in  overcoming  all  M'Clel- 
lan's  objections  to  take  the  command,  by  promising  to  assist 
him  with  his  advice ;  and  he  finally  consented  to  undertake 
the  thankless  task. 

When  the  official  notification  appeared  that  General 
M'Clellan,  the  hero  of  Rich  Mountain,  was  to  assume  the 
command  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  the  intelligence  was 
cordially  welcomed  by  the  troops.  All  were  eager  to  serve 
under  a  commander  who  had  given  evident  proofs  of  his 
military  capacity.  When  he  arrived  with  his  staff  in  the 
midst  of  the  great  body  of  troops  now  confided  to  his  com 
mand,  he  was  welcomed  by  them,  not  as  a  stranger,  but  as  an 
old  comrade  from  the  western  mountains  of  Virginia,  who 
had  come  to  restore  their  lost  confidence  and  to  lead  them 
once  more  to  victory.  Without  being  led  away  by  the  en* 
thusiasm  of  the  soldiers,  M'Clellan  went  quietly  and  steadily 


GENERAL   Jl'CLELLAN.  133 

to  work  to  restore  the  spirit  and  discipline  of  the  men,  and  to 
re-establish  a  good  understanding  between  them  and  their 
officers.  lie  neglected  nothing  to  make  himself  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  smallest  details  connected  with  the  army. 
Unaffected  by  the  high  rank  conferred  upon  him  by  his  Gov 
ernment,  and  by  the  compliments  paid  him  on  all  sides ;  but, 
like  a  skilful  physician,  he  probed  and  examined  into  all  the 
wounds,  that  he  might  know  best  how  to  heal  them. 

All  the  measures  taken  by  M'Clellan  proved  that  he  was 
quite  up  to  his  work,  and  that  he  knew  perfectly  what  an 
arduous  task  he  had  before  him.  He  took  care  to  see  in  per 
son  the  wants  of  the  men  provided  for ;  devoting  his  whole 
time  to  the  most  minute  investigations ;  and  thus,  while  re 
minding  the  men  of  the  duties  they  had  to  perform,  he  was 
careful  to  set  them  a  useful  example  himself.  By  such  means, 
he  soon  gained  the  confidence  of  the  whole  army,  was  readily 
and  cheerfully  obeyed,  and  was  looked  up  to  as  a  leader 
capable  of  surmounting  any  obstacle. 

By  keeping  his  men  hard  at  work,  he  strove  to  bring 
them  into  a  state  of  good  discipline,  in  order  that  they  might 
be  efficient  on  the  battle  field,  and  that  they  might  get  accus 
tomed  to  the  voice  of  their  officers.  The  latter  also,  sharing 
in  his  own  confidence,  assisted  him  to  the  best  of  their  ability ; 
in  a  short  time  a  complete  change  was  discernible  in  the  army 
of  the  Potomac.  Fortifications,  for  the  defence  of  Washing 
ton,  arose  on  all  sides.  Sham  fights,  practice  with  the  bayo 
net,  cavalry  manoeuvres,  daily  took  place.  In  short,  General 
M'Clellan  completely  reorganized  the  army  by  his  energetic 
reforms;  and  when  he  rode  through  the  ranks  back  to  his 
tent,  he  was  always  loudly  cheered  by  the  troops. 

I  willingly  pay  the  tribute  of  my  impartial  admiration  to 
General  M'Clellan  for  the  success  of  his  zealous  efforts  in  or 
ganizing,  out  of  the  raw  materials  at  his  disposal,  so  efficient 
an  army ;  and  no  soldier,  capable  of  forming  an  opinion  on 
the  subject,  could  refuse  to  join  in  that  admiration. 


134  WAR    PICTURES. 

The  devotion  of  the  army  for  their  chieftain  displayed  it 
self  again  at  a  later  period,  when  he  was  intrusted  with  the 
chief  command  at  Frederick,  in  Maryland,  on  which  occasion 
he  was  received  with  a  regular  ovation  by  the  troops. 


MISSOUEI.  135 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE    CAMPAIGN    IN   MISSOURI. 

Events  in  Missouri— German  troops — St.  Louis — Governor  Jackson  joins  the  Con 
federates—Troops  assemble  at  Boonville  and  Lexington— Colonel  Marmaduke 
— General  Lyon — Cole  Camp — General  Price — Movement  of  the  Federal  troops 
—Hopeless  condition  of  the  Confederates— Sigel. 

WHILST  these  events  were  occurring  in  Virginia,  the  other 
border  States  were  not  idle.  The  State  of  Missouri  took  the 
initiative.  With  the  permission  of  the  Confederate  Govern 
ment,  a  body  of  troops  had  formed  a  camp  outside  St.  Louis. 
The  captain  in  command  of  the  Federal  troops  stationed 
there,  did  not,  however,  allow  this  germ  of  a  revolutionary 
movement  to  grow  apace  under  his  very  eyes.  Relying  upon 
the  German  population  of  St.  Louis,  as  well  as  upon  the  loy 
alty  of  their  feelings  as  citizens  of  the  Union,  he  assembled 
some  battalions  of  German  troops,  marched  to  the  revolution 
ary  camp,  and,  after  an  energetic  summons,  made  them  sur 
render.  This  gave  great  annoyance  to  the  Confederates  at  St. 
Louis.  The  Germans  were  received  with  showers  of  stones 
and  pistol  shots,  which  unpleasant  welcome  was  responded  to 
by  the  poor  fellows  with  a  volley  which  killed  some  of  the 
ringleaders.  The  excitement  increased,  and  St.  Louis,  that 
beautiful  and  nourishing  city,  was  on  the  point  of  becoming 
the  scene  of  strife  between  two  contending  factions,  which  it 
only  escaped  through  the  presence  of  mind  of  Captain  Lyon, 


336  WAR    PICTURES. 

of  the  United  States  army.  To  him  it  is  due  that  St.  Louis 
did  not  share  the  unhappy  fate  of  Richmond.  He  placed  a 
cordon  of  troops  round  the  town,  and  handed  over  the  ring 
leaders  to  the  local  authorities. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  capitulation  of  Fort  Sumter,  Gov 
ernor  Jackson  of  Missouri  had  thrown  off  his  sheep's  clothing 
and  taken  the  side  of  the  Secessionists,  seeking  a  refuge  at 
Boonville,  whither  he  transferred  the  seat  of  the  provincial 
government,  there  to  carry  out  his  further  plans.  One  of 
his  first  acts  here  was  to  appoint  his  friend,  Sterling  Price,  a 
major-general ;  he  also  appointed  as  brigadier-generals,  Par 
sons,  Clark  I.,  Clark  II.,  Slack,  Stein,  Harris,  Raines,  and 
Thompson ;  and  he  further  issued  a  proclamation  calling  out 
50,000  men.  Major-General  Price  and  the  other  newly 
created  generals  were  ordered  to  levy  troops  as  quickly  as 
possible,  and  to  send  them  on  to  Boonville  and  Lexington. 

General  Lyon  resolved  to  crush  the  force  already  got  to 
gether.  Toward  the  end  of  June  he  assembled  some  thousand 
German  troops,  and  after  sailing  to  within  a  few  miles  of 
Boonville,  he  effected  a  landing,  and  proceeded  to  disperse  the 
rebels,  who  mustered  some  1,200  strong,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Marmaduke.  Whether  Colonel  Marmaduke  was  at 
heart  true  to  the  Union  Government,  or  whether  he  did  not 
put  much  trust  in  the  courage  of  his  followers,  he,  at  all 
events,  declared  to  them  that,  considering  the  superior  strength 
of  his  opponent,  he  had  resolved  to  abandon  his  position  and 
take  one  up  further  back.  His  men,  however,  refused  to 
obey  him,  and  declared  their  intention  of  exchanging  shots 
with  the  enemy.  Colonel  Marmaduke  then  left  the  place, 
transferring  the  command  to  Colonel  Brand. 

After  a  short,  spirited  engagement,  in  which  both  parties 
lost  some  hundred  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  the  Secession 
ists  dispersed  in  great  disorder. 

Generals  Jackson  and  Price  had  their  headquarters  at 
Boonville,  but  as  soon  as  they  heard  of  the  above  defeat  they 
embarked  for  Lexington. 


SURPRISE  OP  COLE  CAMP.  137 

The  remnant  of  the  body  of  men  dispersed  by  General 
Lyon  withdrew  westward,  commanded  by  Generals  Clark  and 
Parson,  and  accompanied  by  the  majority  of  the  officials  of 
the  different  State  departments.  Their  object  was  to  reach 
Cole  Camp,  about  twenty-seven  miles  further  on,  but  General 
Lyon,  convinced  of  the  cowardice  of  the  Government,  sent 
800  men  to  take  possession  of  it. 

Our  troops  had  arrived  within  ten  miles  of  the  place,  when 
they  were  startled  by  the  news  that  the  enemy  was  in  the 
vicinity.  In  their  hopeless  position  they  were  informed  by 
a  spy  that  Colonel  Kaines,  with  700  men,  was  at  no  great 
distance,  and  was  coming  up  to  their  support.  It  was  then 
resolved  to  make  a  joint  attack  upon  the  troops  under 
Colonel  Cook.  The  scheme  was  attended  with  perfect  suc 
cess.  The  troops  ordered  by  General  Lyon  to  Cole  Camp — 
a  force  of  militia — fancied  their  work  was  done  when  their 
march  was  over ;  so,  after  having  feasted  themselves,  they 
formed  their  camp  without  taking  any  precautions.  Now,  as 
their  orders  were  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  advance,  they  could 
hardly  have  been  ignorant  of  his  proximity.  So  confident, 
however,  were  they  in  their  safety,  that  they  retired  to  rest 
without  even  placing  outposts,  and  the  whole  camp  went  un 
suspiciously  to  sleep. 

During  the  night  our  two  divisions  had  formed  a  junction, 
and  advanced  with  precipitation  upon  the  enemy.  The  sen 
tinels  were  cut  down,  and  the  slumbering  troops  aroused  by 
the  sound  of  musketry.  Our  men  fell  with  a  cheer  upon  the 
unarmed  soldiers,  and  made  short  work  with  them.  All  that 
could  escape  did  so,  and  amongst  the  first  to  run  away,  it  is 
said,  was  Colonel  Cook,  to  whom  the  whole  disaster  must  be 
attributed. 

Of  course  this  small  affair  was  trumpeted  forth  by  the 
public  press  as  a  great  battle.  Governor  Jackson  now  reap 
peared  on  the  scene  to  take  part,  at  least,  in  the  last  act.  It 
was  decided  to  attack  Colonel  Tatten.  But  Colonel  Tatten 


138  WAR    PICTURES. 

having  learnt  the  numerical  superiority  of  our  troops,  fell 
back  with  the  intention  of  forming  a  junction  with  General 
Lyon.  The  Confederate  troops,  thus  thwarted  in  their  inten 
tion,  resolved  to  continue  their  march  southward,  to  join  our 
other  forces  there,  which  they  succeeded  in  doing.  As  soon 
as  a  body  of  4,000  men  had  been  assembled,  General  Price 
took  the  chief  command  in  person,  and  transferred  his  basis 
of  operations  to  the  Arkansas  mountains,  where  Colonel 
Prince,  of  the  Federal  army,  was  stationed  with  a  force  of 
from  3,000  to  8,500  men,  and  made  a  show  of  cutting  off 
General  Price's  retreat.  General  Price  now  resolved  to  make 
a  retrograde  movement,  and,  despite  many  obstacles,  success 
fully  effected  this  operation ;  so  that  on  the  3d  July,  he  was 
able  to  join  the  other  troops  in  Cedar  county. 

In  Cedar  county  the  troops  were  formed  into  regular 
brigades.  Generals  Clark,  Parson,  Slack,  and  Raines  were 
each  appointed  to  a  brigade  of  1000  men,  under  the  chief 
command  of  Governor  Jackson.  Before  the  troops  had  com 
menced  moving,  Governor  Jackson  received  the  information 
that  the  Federal  troops,  under  General  Lyon,  were  advancing 
on  the  north-eastern  side,  with  a  view  to  form  a  junction  with 
Generals  Lane  and  Sturgis,  and  then  to  fall  upon  his  rear  in 
large  numbers. 

Governor  Jackson,  seeing  the  dangerous  position  in  which 
he  was  placed,  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  escape  from 
this  manoeuvre  of  the  enemy,  which  threatened  him  with 
destruction.  He  immediately  set  his  small  army  in  motion, 
and  performed  one  of  those  forced  marches  which  often  have 
been  the  means  of  saving  a  whole  army.  By  nine  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  after  encountering  many  obstacles,  he  had 
marched  twenty-three  English  miles,  and  could  afford  to  allow 
his  fatigued  men  a  few  hours'  repose.  On  the  following 
morning  he  received  the  certain  news  that  a  body  of  men, 
3,000  strong,  under  General  Sigel,  had  started  for  Rolla,  by 
railway,  and  had  already  arrived  at  Carthage,  a  small  town  in 


GOVERNOR  JACKSON'S  DANGER.       139 

his  front,  with  the  intention  of  giving  him  battle  in  a  few 
hours,  which,  considering  the  fatigued  state  of  his  men,  who 
were,  moreover,  but  badly  armed,  was  by  no  means  a  consol 
ing  piece  of  intelligence.  Such  was  the  predicament  in  which 
Major-General  Jackson  found  himself  and  his  Missouri  army 
one  fine  morning :  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy  in  his  rear, 
and  General  Sigel  in  front.  He  made  up  his  mind,  however, 
to  attack  Sigel,  and  after  a  forced  march  of  sixteen  miles 
came  upon  that  general's  outposts  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  5th  July,  and  found  his  army  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle 
on  the  slope  of  a  hill. 


140  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTEE    XVII. 

BATTLE    OF    CARTHAGE. 

Attack  of  the  Confederates^-Sigel  falls  back  on  the  town— Ben  M'CuIJoch,  tne 
guerilla  chieftain — Noble  conduct  of  General  Price. 

As  soon  as  the  Missouri  army  debouched  upon  the  open 
prairie  it  was  immediately  formed  into  line  of  battle.  The 
infantry,  in  a  compact  body,  was  under  the  orders  of  Generals 
Clark,  Parson,  and  Slack.  General  Raines  took  command  of 
the  cavalry,  whilst  Governor  Jackson  acted  as  commander-in- 
chief.  The  infantry  took  up  a  position  at  a  distance  of  about 
600  yards  from  the  enemy,  and  the  cavalry  was  placed  on  the 
right  and  left  wings  to  attack  the  enemy's  flanks,  while  the 
infantry  was  attacking  him  in  front. 

The  few  old  guns  our  troops  possessed  were  of  little  or 
no  service.  As  soon  as  the  Confederate  cavalry  deployed 
right  and  left,  General  Sigel  poured  a  volley  of  grape,  canis 
ter,  and  round  shot  into  them  from  his  excellent  battery. 
Governor  Jackson's  guns  replied  as  best  they  could,  but  with 
no  success.  In  default  of  better  ammunition  the  guns  were 
loaded  with  broken  pieces  of  iron  and  stones.  Our  cavalry 
made  a  vain  attempt  to  capture  the  enemy's  battery;  but 
Sigel  handled  his  guns  so  well  that  they  were  repeatedly 
repulsed  with  loss.  This  sort  of  amusement  had  lasted 
nearly  two  hours,  when  Governor  Jackson,  convinced  that  ho 
could  not  do  anything  with  his  cavalry,  resolved  to  storrn 


BATTLE    OF    CARTHAGE.  141 

the  enemy's  position  with  his  infantry,  the  cavalry  following 
in  support  at  a  short  distance.  The  Missouri  troops  advanced 
courageously  to  the  attack.  With  a  loud  cheer  they  rushed 
upon  the  enemy,  and  compelled  General  Sigel  to  yield 
ground  and  fall  back  upon  Bear  Creek,  a  river  of  some  depth 
and  width ;  after  making  his  way  across  he  destroyed  the 
bridge,  and  finding  that  our  troops  greatly  outnumbered  his, 
he  retreated  about  a  mile,  and  then  he  made  a  halt.  Then 
commenced  one  of  those  rifle  skirmishes  which  so  perpetually 
occur  in  American  warfare.  Weary  at  last  of  this  sort  of 
desultory  fighting,  which  led  to  no  great  result,  our  troops 
cut  branches  of  trees  and  made  rafts,  upon  which  they  crossed 
to"  the  other  side ;  the  cavalry  swimming  across.  General 
Sigel,  who  was  too  far  away  from  his  reserve,  now  resolved 
to  retreat  to  Carthage,  about  eight  miles  distant,  and  per 
formed  his  retreat  in  good  order,  beating  back  our  repeated 
attacks. 

At  Carthage  he  made  a  halt  to  rest  his  men.  After 
several  unsuccessful  attacks,  Governor  Jackson  feeling  that, 
notwithstanding  his  numerical  superiority,  he  could  do  noth 
ing,  ordered  the  fighting  to  cease,  that  he  might  attend  to  his 
wounded,  who  lay  in  considerable  numbers  along  the  road. 
General  Sigel  then  continued  his  march  toward  Rolla.  Gov 
ernor  Jackson  had  reason  to  be  well  satisfied  with  his  success, 
as  it  caused  considerable  sensation  amongst  the  inhabitants 
of  the  prairie,  who  by  hundreds  left  their  families,  and  seized 
their  rifles  to  join  in  the  guerilla  warfare.  On  the  following 
day  large  masses  of  troops  appeared  in  sight,  which  proved  to 
be  those  of  General  Price,  and  the  band  of  the  famous  guerilla 
chieftain,  Ben  M'Culloch.  There  were  some  thousands  of 
these  men,  who,  from  their  capability  of  enduring  privation 
and  hardship,  were  especially  suited  to  this  sort  of  warfare. 

Sigel,  who  was  also  aware  of  the  approach  of  these 
numerous  guerilla  bands,  anxiously  endeavored  to  save  his 
little  army.  Great  wras  the  joy  of  the  Missouri  men  on  again 


142  WAR    PICTURES. 

beholding  General  Price,  who  had  just  recovered  from  a 
serious  illness,  but  it  became  unbounded  when  the  men  of 
Arkansas  and  the  men  of  Missouri  mingled  together.  It  was 
an  exhilarating  sight  to  see  the  bold  hunters  of  the  Western 
prairies  and  virgin  forests,  men  who  had  waged  war  against 
the  savage  Indian,  the  wolf,  and  the  bear,  give  their  rough 
greeting  to  the  sons  of  the  sister  State,  and  grasp  the  hands 
of  many  whom  they  had  supposed  dead,  whose  scalp  they 
fancied  hanging  possibly  at  some  Indian's  girdle  as  a  trophy  ; 
libations  of  whiskey  and  brandy,  as  may  be  guessed,  were 
now  freely  indulged  in  by  these  swarthy  warriors. 

This  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  the  famous  guerilla 
chieftain,  Ben  M'Culloch,  made  his  appearance.  He  had  been 
given  the  rank  of  a  brigadier-general  in  the  Confederate  army, 
and  it  was  extraordinary  to  see  how  the  sunburnt  sons  of  the 
plain,  heedless  of  his  rank  and  fine  uniform,  pressed  around 
him,  and  with  their  brawny  hands  nearly  crushed  his  in  their 
friendly  but  eager  gripe. 

The  festivities  ceased ;  the  shades  of  evening  came  on,  and 
the  stillness  of  night  watched  over  the  slumbers  of  the  two 
armies.  The  sentinels  alone  crept  about  like  snakes,  or  like 
spies  on  the  trail  of  an  Indian,  to  insure  safety  to  their  sleep 
ing  comrades.  The  god  of  dreams  mildly  swayed  the  thoughts 
of  those  sleeping  warriors,  drawing  many  a  fanciful  picture 
of  future  adventure.  There  lay  those  unconquered  sons  of 
America,  their  rifle  by  their  side,  calm,  like  children,  dreaming 
some  of  their  sweethearts  far  away,  others  of  battle,  or  of 
booty,  and  they  smiled  as  they  slept.  Yet  many  of  them, 
perhaps  on  the  morrow,  would  sleep  the  last  sleep  of  death, 
with  the  long  grass  of  the  prairie  for  a  tomb  :  struck  by  some 
hostile  bullet — cut  down  like  the  ripe  fruit  from  the  tree. 

On  the  following  morning  the  troops  were  formed  into 
divisions,  and  the  march  commenced  for  Conwoskin  prairie, 
in  McDonald  county,  an  Indian  station  at  no  great  distance, 
as  it  had  been  ascertained  that  the  enemy's  forces,  under 


SPKINGFIELD.  143 

Generals  Sigel,  Lyon,  Sturgis,  and  Sweeney,  were  endeavor 
ing  to  form  a  junction  at  Springfield.  Before,  therefore,  un 
dertaking  anything  against  the  amalgamated  forces,  a  halt  was 
made  for  a  few  days  at  Croskin  prairie,  to  bring  more  order 
into,  and  better  to  divide,  the  troops.  The  reenforcements, 
which  hourly  dropped  in,  brought  up  the  effective  strength  of 
our  army  to  12,800  men.  A  council  of  .war  was  now  held. 
M'Culloch,  as  brigadier-general  of  the  Confederate  army,  pre 
sided.  After  a  somewhat  lengthy  debate  it  was  resolved  to 
follow  the  enemy  to  Springfield,  and  to  give  him  battle.  Pre 
parations  were  immediately  made  to  carry  out  this  plan. 
General  Ben  M'Culloch  took  the  command  of  the  vanguard, 
and  advanced  toward  Barry  county,  from  whence  the  opera 
tions  against  Springfield  were  to  be  undertaken  in  common. 

However,  before  the  Confederate  troops  had  reached  Crane 
Creek,  news  was  brought  in  that  the  Federal  troops  had  aban 
doned  Springfield.  The  enemy's  outposts  were  seven  miles 
distant  from  ours.  Our  forces  were  ordered  to  halt,  and  for 
some  days  the  fighting  was  confined  to  outpost  skirmishing. 

After  this  mutual  watching,  and  the  inactivity  evinced  by 
the  enemy's  generals,  who, probably,  had  delayed  an  attack  until 
their  plans  were  more  mature  and  their  artillery  had  arrived, 
General  Ben  M'Culloch  suddenly  lost  confidence,  and  after  a 
council  of  war  it  was  decided  to  abandon  our  position,  and  to 
beat  a  retreat.  The  causes  which  induced  Ben  M'Culloch  to 
take  this  step  were  the  superior  number  of  the  enemy,  armed 
with  excellent  weapons,  and  their  greater  number  of  guns, 
whilst  his  troops  were  badly  armed,  and  not  properly  organ 
ized.  Much  of  this,  however,  was  untenable.  First  of  all,  the 
Federal  troops  did  not  outnumber  ours  ;  moreover,  the  enemy 
had  commenced  their  military  career  at  the  same  time  that 
our  men  did,  so  that  there  could  be  no  advantage  in  that  re 
spect  ;  on  the  contrary,  if  there  was  any,  it  was  on  our  side. 
As  a  set-off  to  the  better  arming  of  the  Federal  troops,  it  may 
be  said,  that  they  consisted  chiefly  of  Germans  w7ho,  when  the 


144  WAR    PICTURES 

war  broke  out,  had  left  their  peaceful  homes  to  take  up  s  ivord 
and  rifle  in  order  to  fight  for  their  adopted  country :  they  had 
given  up  their  quiet,  industrial  pursuits  to  undergo  all  the 
hardships  of  war.  Whilst  on  the  Confederate  side,  the  ele 
ments  of  which  the  army  consisted  were  men  inured  to  war 
like  doings  of  every  description ;  who  had  been  brought  up  to 
the  use  of  arms  from  children  ;  and  who,  under  able  command 
ers,  were  capable  of  doing  good  service  in  the  field.  How 
ever,  Ben  M'Culloch  took  it  into  his  head  to  retreat,  and  he 
was  obstinate  enough  to  carry  out  his  will.  In  vain  did 
General  Price  endeavor  to  persuade  him  to  alter  his  mind. 
He  proposed  an  immediate  advance ;  pointed  out  the  enthu 
siasm  which  prevailed  amongst  the  troops,  and  which  ought 
to  be  turned  to  account  to  strike  a  blow  against  the  enemy ; 
but  it  was  like  talking  to  the  wind.  As  nothing  could  shake 
the  obstinacy  of  M'Culloch,  General  Price  asked  him  to  give 
up  the  better  arms  which  his  followers  possessed,  and  he 
(Price)  would  attack  the  enemy  without  him.  But  this  he 
also  declined,  and  General  Price,  much  annoyed,  left  the  tent. 

On  that  same  evening,  whilst  all  the  necessary  prepara 
tions  were  being  made  to  commence  a  retreat,  an  aide-de-camp 
arrived  at  the  camp  from  Major-General  Polk  of  the  Confed 
erate  army,  bringing  the  order  for  General  M'Culloch  to  at 
tack  the  enemy  at  Springfield  without  delay.  As  soon  as  he 
had  read  the  despatch,  he  summoned  all  the  generals  together 
and  communicated  General  Folk's  order  to  them,  declaring 
that  he  was  ready  to  march  at  once  on  Springfield,  provided 
he  was  given  the  chief  command. 

General  Price  nobly  replied  that  it  was  immaterial  to  him 
in  what  capacity  he  fought,  provided  that  he  had  an  oppor 
tunity  of  doing  service  in  the  defence  of  his  country,  and  that 
he  was  willing  not  only  to  give  up  his  command,  but  his  life 
if  necessary.  He  then  handed  over  the  chief  command  to 
M'Culloch.  These  quiet,  earnest  words  of  General  Price  did 
not  fail  to  produce  a  powerful  effect  upon  the  minds  of  the  as 
sembled  officers. 


PATRIOTISM   OF   GENERAL   PRICE.  145 

Even  Ben  M'Culloch  felt  ashamed  when  his  officers  re 
proached  him  for  his  ambition.  He  advanced  toward  General 
Price,  and  held  out  his  hand,  but  the  latter  drew  back,  and 
said,  "  Do  your  duty  as  the  general  in  command,  as  I  intend 
to  do  mine,  and  we  will  endeavor  to  forget  what  has  passed." 

Ben  M'Culloch  having  assumed  the  command,  his  first 
general  order  was  that  all  unarmed  persons  should  remain  in 
the  camp,  that  those  who  had  rifles  or  muskets  should  get 
them  ready,  should  provide  themselves  with  fifty  rounds  of 
ball,  and  be  prepared  to  march  at  midnight. 

Ben  M'Culloch  now  divided  the  army  into  three  divisions. 
The  first  he  commanded  himself,  and  the  others  he  intrusted 
to  Generals  Pierce  and  Price.  About  midnight,  the  troops 
quietly  left  the  camp,  leaving  the  sick  and  wounded,  baggage, 
&c.,  behind,  and  commenced  their  march  in  the  direction  of 
Springfield.  The  men  were  all  in  excellent  spirits  and  con 
fident  of  success.  They  expected  to  come  upon  the  enemy's 
outposts  at  about  nine  miles'  distance  from  the  camp ;  but 
when,  after  a  fatiguing  march,  our  troops  reached  the  place 
and  began  to  reconnoitre  cautiously,  they  found  that  the 
enemy  had  decamped  on  the  previous  day,  and  were  now  re 
treating.  Despite  the  great  heat,  our  troops  immediately 
followed  in  the  enemy's  track.  As  they  had  no  canteens, 
they  suffered  considerably  from  thirst,  but  nevertheless  ad 
vanced  steadily  until  they  reached  Big  Spring,  about  two 
miles  from  Wilson  Creek,  and  about  ten  miles  from  Spring 
field,  where  they  encamped  that  evening.  Our  troops,  who 
had  left  all  their  provisions  behind  them,  had  not  tasted  food 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  in  their  eager  craving  began  to  eat 
the  green  corn  with  which  the  fields  were  covered.  They  had 
neither  tents  nor  blankets  to  protect  them  from  the  night  air, 
and  their  clothing  was  in  bad  condition ;  indeed,  nearly  four 
fifths  of  the  men  were  without  shoes,  yet  they  cheerfully  per 
formed  this  fatiguing  march.  The  officers,  too,  were  scarcely 
better  off",  with  the  exception  of  General  Ben  M'Culloch,  who 
7 


140  WAE    PICTURES. 

displayed  his  brilliant  uniform  to  the  admiring  looks  of  oui 
poor  ragged  fellows. 

The  army  resumed  its  march  on  the  following  morning  to 
Wilson  Creek,  and  there  encamped ;  the  large  fields  of  green 
corn  they  met  with  there  supplying  them  with  the  only  kind 
of  food  they  had  tasted  for  two  days.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening  a  general  order  was  issued  for  the  troops  to  be  ready 
to  march  at  nine  against  Springfield.  After  a  council  of  war, 
General  M'Culloch  resolved  to  attack  the  enemy  at  daybreak, 
on  four  sides  at  once.  The  soldiers  had  already  satisfied  their 
hunger,  prepared  their  ammunition,  and  were  ready  to  march, 
when,  owing  to  the  heavy  rain,  a  counter  order  was  issued, 
postponing  the  attack  till  the  following  day. 


BATTLE   OF   OAK   HILL.  147 

LIBRAE  Y 

UNIVERSITY   OF 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    OAK   HILL,  OR    WILSON    CREEK. 

The  Federal  troops  under  Generals  Sigel  and  Lyon  commence  the  attack—  Sigel 
retreats—  Lyon  is  obliged  to  give  way—  The  Confederates  are  victorious—  Death 
of  General  Lyon. 

BEFORE  General  M'Culloch's  excellent  plans  could  be  carried 
out,  and  our  troops  put  in  readiness  to  attack  the  Federal 
General  Sigel,  General  Lyon'  had  already  commenced  an  at 
tack  upon  us,  and  our  men  had  just  got  into  position,  when 
General  Sigel  also  assailed  us  on  our  right  wing  and  in  our 
rear,  while  the  artillery  on  both  sides  opened  fire.  General 
M'Culloch  did  all  that  was  possible  to  keep  his  men  in  line  of 
battle  and  repulse  the  repeated  attacks  of  Generals  Sigel  and 
Lyon.  The  men  of  Missouri,  under  the  command  of  their 
Brigadier-Generals  Slack,  Parsons,  and  Raines,  had  taken  up  a 
position  in  front,  and  were  ordered  by  General  Price  to  ad 
vance  in  all  haste  upon  the  enemy.  After  proceeding  a  few 
hundred  yards,  they  came  upon  the  main  body  of  the  enemy, 
under  the  personal  command  of  General  Lyon.  Both  sides 
immediately  opened  a  brisk  fusilade,  the  artillery  being  at  the 
same  time  in  full  play  ;  a  Federal  battery  under  Captain  Tat- 
ten,  and  a  Confederate  battery  keeping  up  a  regular  duel. 

General  Price  then  ordered  two  regiments—  the  Louisiana 
volunteers,  and  a  regiment  of  dismounted  chasseurs—  to  attack 
the  battery  in  front.  In  a  few  minutes  they  were  ready, 


]48  WAR    PICTURES. 

when  these  wild  sons  of  the  prairie  resolutely  advanced  with 
fixed  bayonets,  and  attacked  the  enemy's  left  flank,  posted  in 
a  large  cornfield.  Our  two  regiments  were  received  with  a 
terrible  discharge  of  musketry,  but  persevered  in  their  attack, 
and  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  enemy,  who  had  to  fall  back 
on  the  main  body.  As  soon  as  General  Lyon  saw  his 
troops  thus  retreating,  he  led  forward  in  person  one  of  the 
German  regiments  posted  with  his  reserve.  It  was  a  fine  sight 
to  see  these  Germans  rush  on  the  advancing  foe,  and  by  their 
determined  courage  impede  his  further  advance.  Whilst  the 
troops  under  General  Price  were  nobly  holding  their  ground 
in  the  centre,  General  Sigel  observed  that  several  Confeder 
ate  regiments  had  assembled  on  his  left  flank,  and  threatened 
to  attack  this,  his  weak  point.  One  of  our  batteries  had 
already  taken  up  a  position  to  protect  these  troops  with  their 
fire,  when  General  Sigel  promptly  ordered  up  some  guns,  and 
pouring  a  storm  of  grape  upon  the  regiments  who  were  pre 
paring  to  advance  to  the  charge,  caused  them  serious  loss. 

General  M'Culloch,  observing  the  confusion  among  his 
troops,  caused  by  the  enemy's  fire,  ordered  the  mounted  chas 
seur  regiment  under  M'Intosh  to  their  immediate  support. 
This  regiment  was  to  the  Confederate  army  much  what  the 
Old  Guard  was  to  Napoleon,  and  kept  in  reserve  for  any 
emergency.  Such  disorder  had  already  spread  among  the 
Confederate  forces,  that  it  was  indeed  high  time  for  the  mount 
ed  Jagers  to  come  to  the  rescue.  Without  losing  precious 
moments  in  forming,  they  threw  themselves  headlong  upon 
the  battery  which  was  causing  such  damage  to  our  people, 
and  in  spite  of  a  gallant  defence,  General  Sigel  was  obliged  to 
give  way  before  superior  numbers,  and  as  the  Texas  and  Mis 
souri  cavalry  regiments  threatened  to  cut  off"  his  retreat,  in 
the  event  of  his  maintaining  his  ground  much  longer,  he 
abandoned  his  position. 

The  Confederate  forces  having  obtained  these  great  advan 
tages  on  their  right  wing,  it  became  necessary  for  them  to  di 
rect  their  attention  to  the  enemy's  centre,  where  the  bulk  of 


BATTLE    OF   OAK   HILL.  149 

General  Lyon's  forces  were  posted.  General  M'Culloch, 
therefore,  directed  the  cavalry  regiments  of  Colonels  Embry 
and  Churchill  to  dismount,  attaching  them  to  the  infantry  regi 
ment  of  Gratiot,  and  adding  M'Rae's  regiment  as  a  reserve ; 
he  ordered  these  troops  to  make  a  general  attack  on  the  front 
of  the  enemy's  position.  Our  brigade  was  received  by  a  tre 
mendous  fire  as  they  advanced  to  the  attack,  protected  by 
small  columns  at  their  flanks.  Generals  Sigel  and  Lyon  de 
fended  their  position  gallantly,  and  in  spite  of  the  vigorous 
attack  made  by  our  troops,  it  was  impossible  to  drive  the 
Germans  from  their  position.  The  German  is  a  good  and 
brave  soldier  when  fighting  from  conviction,  and  for  a  cause 
which  he  loves.  Quarter  was  neither  asked  for  nor  given, 
and  the  battle  had  already  raged  for  several  hours,  without 
any  particular  advantage  on  either  one  side  or  the  other.  It 
was  at  this  juncture  that  General  M'Culloch  assembled  some 
regiments,  and  attempted  to  storm  Captain  Tatten's  battery, 
which  was  causing  such  havoc  among  our  soldiers.  Our  men 
attacked  the  enemy's  battery  with  great  courage ;  General 
Lyon,  however,  making  a  rapid  flank  movement,  in  his  turn 
attacked  our  storming  parties,  inflicting  great  loss  upon  them 
by  a  well-directed  fire,  which  mowed  them  down  by  columns. 
General  M'Culloch's  men  were  already  beginning  to  waver, 
when,  at  this  critical  moment,  three  regiments  of  General 
Pierce's  brigade  hurried  to  his  support,  and  he  ordered'  up 
Reid's  battery  and  the  Louisiana  volunteers,  with  .which  addi 
tional  forces  the  struggle  at  the  centre  was  renewed  with  des 
peration.  The  troops  under  General  Pierce  attacked  the 
enemy  with  such  determination  that  they  began  to  falter  and 
gradually  give  way.  This  retrograde  movement  of  the  Fede 
ral  troops  produced  immense  excitement  among  the  Confede 
rates,  and  the  Missouri,  Arkansas,  Texas,  and  Louisiana  forces 
threw  themselves  at  once,  with  loud  hurrahs,  on  the  wavering 
line  of  the  enemy,  and  drove  him  completely  from  his  posi 
tion. 

The  retreat  of  the  Germans  was,  however,  executed  with 


150  WAR    PICTURES. 

praiseworthy  coolness,  in  the  face  of  the  furious  onslaught  of 
the  Confederates.  Generals  Sigel  and  Lyon  now  perceiving 
the  futility  of  trying  further  to  repel  the  attacks  of  an  enemy 
so  superior  in  numbers,  they  issued  orders  for  the  whole  army 
to  retreat.  Owing  to  the  losses  sustained  by  the  Confederates, 
and  their  exhaustion,  they  could  not  molest  them  in  effecting 
this  movement.  General  Lyon  fell  at  the  close  of  the  engage 
ment,  and  the  command-in-chief  consequently  devolved  upon 
General  Sigel,  an  able  officer,  who  succeeded  in  withdrawing 
the  Federal  forces  from  the  scene  of  action  in  good  order. 

Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Oak  Hill,  as  we  named  it,  or 
of  Wilson  Creek,  as  named  in  the  official  report  of  Gene 
ral  Sigel. 

The  battle  lasted  full  seven  hours,  and  our  loss  of  2,000 
killed  and  wounded  shows  the  desperation  of  this  fierce  strug 
gle.  Our  trophies  consisted  of  merely  two  dismounted  can 
non  and  some  hundred  muskets.  The  enemy  lost  in  General 
Lyon  a  brave  defender  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  a  good 
patriot.  He  fell  whilst  encouraging  his  men  by  word  and 
deed ;  two  bullets  penetrated  his  heart  at  the  same  moment, 
causing  immediate  death.  His  doctor  came  to  us  after  the 
battle  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  claim  his  body,  and  General 
Price  had  the  politeness  to  offer  his  own  carriage  for  its  re 
moval.  The  body  could  not,  however,  on  account  of  the  heat, 
be  Conveyed  further  than  Springfield,  and  General  Price  or 
dered  Colonels  Elgen  and  Mercer  to  provide  a  proper  funeral, 
and  a  Mrs.  Phelp,  of  that  place,  presented  them  with  a  coffin. 
A  few  days  afterward  the  body  was  conveyed  to  his  friends 
at  St.  Louis. 

After  the  battle  of  Oak  Hill,  our  generals  found  their  di 
vision  so  cut  up,  that  they  were  obliged  to  go  to  work  very 
cautiously,  General  Sigel  being  just  the  man  to  give  them  but 
little  leisure  "for  recovering  themselves.  General  M'Culloch 
determined  to  proceed  to  Arkansas  with  his  forces ;  whilst 
General  Price,  on  the  other  hand,  advocated  a  continuation  of 
the  campaign  in  Missouri. 


THOMAS   IIAKRTS.  151 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A    GENERAL    WITHOUT    AN    ARMY. 

Thomas  Harris — Hia  nomination  as  general — General  Harris  and  General  Price — 
Fort  Scott — An  abortive  excursion  to  Warrensburg. 

A  MAN  now  appeared  in  the  north  of  Missouri,  with  every  in 
tention  of  making  a  name  for  himself, — no  other  than  Thomas 
Harris,  who  was  on  his  way  to  the  rendezvous  of  Boonville, 
with  the  intention  of  joining  the  Confederate  army  as  a  pri 
vate.  At  Paris  (a  small  hamlet  in  the  county  of  Monroe), 
he  \vas  recognized  by  one  of  Governor  Jackson's  couriers, 
who  forthwith  handed  him  his  commission  as  brigadier-gene 
ral  of  the  .Missouri  State  Guard,  with  orders  to  undertake  the 
organization  of  the  forces  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State 
with  the  utmost  expedition,  and  to  assume  the  defence  of  that 
portion  of  the  State  which  was  north  of  the  river  Missouri. 
At  the  time  Harris  received  his  commission  and  his  orders 
he  had  no  opportunity  for  expressing  his  thanks  to  Governor 
Jackson,  as  the  latter  had  been  defeated  by  the  enemy's 
troops,  and  was  wandering  about  the  Western  prairies  without 
roof  or  resting  place. 

The  unfortunate  Harris,  therefore,  found  himself  all  alone 
with  his  commission  and  the  order  to  defend  the  northern  line 
of  the  Missouri,  without  soldiers,  without  arms,  without  tents, 
and  without  money.  He  might  have  exclaimed  like  another 
celebrated  general,  "  Can  I  make  an  army  spring  from  the 
ground  ? "  Harris  was,  however,  the  reverse  of  a  despondent 


152  WAR    PICTURES. 

character,  and  he  tried  his  best  to  do  honor  to  his  exalted 
rank.  He  quietly  pocketed  his  commission  and  his  orders 
and  repaired  to  his  native  county.  Immediately  on  arriving 
there  he  held  a  grand  politica^  meeting,  described  the  position 
of  Missouri  in  the  most  ghastly  colors,  and  in  order  to  in 
crease  the  general  effect  he  publicly  took  the  oath  of  alle 
giance  to  the  Confederacy ;  that  solemn  act  being  administered 
by  a  clergyman  who  happened  to  be  present.  Fifty-three 
persons  at  this  assembly  immediately  joined  him,  agreeing  to 
serve  under  him.  General  Harris  then  gave  his  future  army 
the  permission  to  go  to  their  homes,  provide  themselves  with 
arms,  and  then  rejoin  him  at  his  headquarters. 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  this  new  defender  of  the 
country  went  to  work  with  great  circumspection,  establishing 
his  headquarters  first,  with  the  conviction  that  an  army  would 
ere  long  be  got  together. 

Before  his  newly  raised  force  of  fifty-three  men  had,  how 
ever,  joined  him,  the  rumor  spread  that  a  detachment  of  the 
enemy  was  approaching. 

General  Harris  was  not  long  in  moving  off  to  a  more 
convenient  spot,  followed  by  his  forces,  then  consisting  of 
some  staff  officers  and  three  privates,  and  proceeded  with  the 
organization  of  a  band  of  guerillas.  Wherever  there  is  a 
chance  of  booty  the  crows  will  gather,  and  he  managed  in  a 
very  short  time  to  get  a  body  of  men  together,  which  would 
enable  him  to  take  a  prpminent  part  in  the  complicated  events 
of  the  period.  He  soon  collected  3,000  men  under  his  or 
ders,  and  it  was  on  account  of  this  force  that  General  Lyon 
was  at  the  commencement  of  his  operations  obliged  to  detach 
a  corps  to  watch  its  movements.  On  General  Price  being  re 
lieved  of  his  duties  in  the  Confederate  army,  he  advanced 
toward  the  river  Missouri.  No  sooner  did  General  Harris 
get  wind  of  this,  than  he  broke  up  his  camp  and  marched  a 
distance  of  sixty-eight  miles  in  thirty  hours  in  order  to  join 
him. 

General  Price  was  not  a  little  pleased  at  being  joined  by 


FORT   SCOTT.  153 

Harris  and  his  forces,  and  received  them  with  open  arms. 
The  two  generals  immediately  determined  to  march  on  Fort 
Scott.  After  a  tedious  march  they  came  in  sight  of  Fort 
Scott — but  only  to  learn  that  Generals  Lane  and  Tennison 
had  moved  further  westward  with  their  forces  ;  they  then  de 
termined  to  proceed  toward  Lexington,  as  they  had  ascer 
tained  that  some  of  the  enemy  were  there  encamped  under 
Colonel  Mulligan.  Fremont  had  at  this  time  been  named  by 
the  Government  at  Washington  to  the  chief  command  of  the 
Federal  army  in  Missouri.  Fremont  was  the  very  man  for 
this  post.  Immediately  on  assuming  the  command  he  issued 
a  proclamation,  threatening  every  traitor  to  the  Washington 
Government  with  the  confiscation  of  his  property  and  the 
liberation  of  all  his  slaves. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  this  proclamation  created  an  in 
tense  feeling  of  indignation  among  the  Southerners,  and  many 
of  them  left  the  army  in  order  to  save  their  property,  whilst 
others,  whose  property  was  already  greatly  involved  in  debt, 
abandoned  it  on  the  plea  of  patriotism.  The  Confederate 
Government  hastened  to  indemnify  these  latter  by  State 
bonds,  and  both  parties  became  gainers  by  the  transaction. 
The  Government  played  a  fatherly  part,  whilst  the  proprie 
tors  who  were  thus  indemnified  abused  the  Federal  Govern 
ment,  and  by  extolling  the  Confederation,  drew  many  persons 
to  its  standard.  At  the  beginning  of  September,  1861,  Gen 
erals  Price  and  Harris,  who  were  about  to  encamp,  received 
information  from  spies  that  a  detachment  of  Federal  troops 
was  proceeding  from  Lexington  to  Warrensburg,  a  small 
town  in  the  vicinity,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  away  the 
Government  moneys  there,  and  the  cash  at  the  bank,  to  de 
posit  them  for  safety  at  Lexington.  This  news  spread  like 
lightning  through  the  camp,  and  in  spite  of  the  bad  weather 
and  the  length  of  the  march,  the  troops  got  ready  with  the 
utmost  haste  for  the  expedition. 

The  whole  brigade  appeared  electrified.     The  prospect  of 


154  WAR    PICTURES. 

capturing  some  hundred  thousand  dollars  worked  wonders  in 
putting  the  troops  on  their  legs,  and  an  immediate  and  general 
start  was  made,  for  fear  that  the  booty  might  be  lost.  The 
men  had  never  been  so  active  before;  indeed,  the  officers, 
although  mounted,  could  hardly  keep  up  with  the  briskly 
moving  mass.  Money  is  indeed  a  powerful  magnet.  Even 
the  sick  seemed  to  have  suddenly  recovered,  and  were  not  to 
be  prevented  from  hurrying  on  with  the  rest,  in  the  hope  of 
sharing  the  spoil. 

Although  the  troops  had  been  much  fatigued  by  the  late 
marches,  this  was  now  quite  imperceptible,  and  indeed  when 
some  of  the  officers  wanted  to  rest  they  found  it  impracticable, 
as  the  men  would  not  hear  of  dallying  by  the  way.  So  on 
they  went  without  stopping,  until  they  reached  Warrensburg. 
But  here  they  were  doomed  to  disappointment;  the  com 
mandant  of  the  enemy's  forces  had  already  accomplished  his 
task  the  previous  evening,  and  left  the  place  with  all  valuables, 
breaking  down  the  bridges  behind  him.  The  rage  of  the  sol 
diers  at  the  loss  of  the  expected  booty  was  indescribable,  and 
became  ludicrous  when  they  saw  the  caricatures  which  the 
German  soldiers  of  the  Federal  army  had  sketched  on  the 
walls  of  the  houses,  in  anticipation  of  the  arrival  of  the  Con 
federates.  On  the  bank  itself  there  was  an  artistic  charcoal 
drawing  in  crayons,  representing  an  empty  cash  box,  with  a 
Confederate  soldier  peeping  into  it.  All  this  caused  bad 
blood  among  our  people,  and  they  cried  for  vengeance.  The 
poor  inhabitants  had  to  suffer  in  consequence,  and  everything 
eatable  or  drinkable  that  was  to  be  found  in  the  little  town 
was  laid  hands  on  by  the  soldiers,  who  were  famished  after 
the  exertions  of  their  long  march.  The  generals  resolved  to 
assemble  all  their  forces  at  this  place.  After  a  rest  of  two 
days  the  army  moved  on  to  Lexington,  as  it  was  known  that 
the  money  had  been  conveyed  to  that  place.  The  march  was 
consequently  willingly  resumed,  and  on  the  morning  follow 
ing  the  advanced  guard  came  in  view  of  the  enemy's  outlying 
pickets. 


BATTLE   OF  LEXINGTON.  155 


CHAPTER  XX. 

BATTLE    OF     LEXINGTON. 

General  Price— Attack  on  Lexington— Colonel  Mulligan's  defence— Capitulation 
—Booty— Price's  retreat— Secession  of  the  State  of  Missouri— Fremont  re 
called. 

AT  daybreak  a  lively  outpost  skirmish  commenced  between 
the  Missouri  forces  and  the  Federal  troops.  After  a  short 
engagement,  General  Price,  finding  that  the  enemy  was  too 
strong  for  him,  ordered  his  men  to  retire  jmd  the  whole  army 
to  fall  back.  He  resolved  first  to  await  the  reinforcements 
which  had  been  promised  him,  and  then  to  renew  the  attack. 
Like  wildfire  the  news  had  spread  through  the  country  that 
General  Price  intended  to  make  a  small  razzia  to  sack  some 
cash,  and  hundreds  flocked  in  to  help  him  at  this  work.  The 
numbers  of  the  army  increased  hourly,  and  it  was  really 
amusing  to  hear  the  newcomers  anxiously  inquire  if  any 
booty  had  been  made  yet.  On  receiving  a  reply  in  the  nega 
tive,  their  looks  would  brighten  :  they  were  elated  at  finding 
they  had  arrived  in  such  good  time.  In  a  short  time,  the 
army  of  Generals  Price  and  Harris  had  been  increased  by 
nearly  2,000  men,  and  a  general  advance  was  resolved  upon. 
The  enemy's  outposts  were  driven  back,  and  the  attacking 
columns  approached  Lexington,  where  the  Federal  troops 
were  strongly  intrenched  in  a  position  where  they  were 
secure  unless  attacked  by  very  superior  numbers.  There 


156  WAE    PICTURES. 

was  one  building  especially,  formerly  a  schoolhouse,  which 
they  had  fortified  with  consummate  skill. 

General  Price  ordered  up  two  batteries,  and  opened  a 
heavy  fire  upon  this  post,  but  it  was  so  well  responded  to  by 
the  Federal  troops,  that  in  all  haste  he  ordered  his  batteries 
to  retire  out  of  range  of  the  enemy's  murderous  fire.  Gen 
erals  Price  and  Harris,  again  losing  confidence,  withdrew 
their  troops  and  retreated  to  Fair  Ground,  in  the  vicinity, 
there  to  await  farther  reinforcements  and  fresh  supplies  of 
ammunition.  In  a  few  days  they  deemed  themselves  strong 
enough  to  renew  the  attack  upon  Lexington. 

General  Raines  was  ordered  to  attack  the  town  on  the 
east  and  northeast,  whilst  General  Porter  attacked  on  the 
south  side,  and  all  the  guns  were  at  the  same  time  to  open 
fire  on  the  enemy's  outworks  in  front.  Swarms  of  sharp 
shooters  were  sent  from  both  divisions  to  annoy  the  enemy 
by  a  continuous  fire,  and  to  cut  them  off  from  the  place  which 
provided  them  with  drinking  water.  The  riflemen  did  their 
work  well,  and  in  a  short  time  took  possession  of  the  enemy's 
water  station. 

Immediately  on  arriving  before  Lexington,  the  fourth  divi 
sion,  which  in  the  absence  of  General  Slack  was  commanded 
by  Colonel  Rivers,  had  been  ordered  to  a  position  west  of  the 
enemy's  fortifications,  whilst  a  portion  of  M'Bride's  and  Har 
ris's  brigades  was  stationed  near,  to  act  in  support.  Colonel 
Rivers  speedily  commenced  operations,  and  attempted  to  cap 
ture  a  steamer  which  was  on  the  river,  and  to  cut  off  a  chance 
of  retreat  to  the  enemy.  The  Federal  troops,  however,  poured 
in  such  a  volley  upon  him  from  a  house  which  was  used  as  a 
hospital,  and  which  had  hoisted  a  white  flag,  that  he  had  to 
relinquish  the  attempt.  Shortly  afterward,  however,  a  de 
tachment  of  Colonel  Jackson's  men,  after  a  sharp  engagement, 
captured  the  steamer  and  some  small  craft  on  the  river, 
freighted  with  clothes,  provisions,  and  ammunition,  all  of 
which  things  our  troops  stood  much  in  need  of.  This  cap- 


BATTLE   OF   LEXINGTON.  157 

ture  was  hailed,  therefore,  with  great  joy  by  our  men,  and 
spurred  on  their  zeal.  At  the  same  time,  Generals  M'Bride's 
and  Harris's  troops  took  possession  of  the  hills  lying  to  the 
north  of  the  building  already  alluded  to  as  serving  for  a  hos 
pital.  As  soon  as  Colonel  Mulligan,  who  was  in  command 
of  the  fort,  was  made  aware  of  the  presence  of  the  Confeder 
ates,  he  made  a  sortie,  with  a  view  to  drive  them  from  the 
position  they  had  taken.  It  is  a  pity  that  the  colonel  had  not 
a  larger  body  of  men  at  his  command,  for  he  possessed  many 
of  the  requisites  for  an  able  general.  He  was  enterprising, 
and  always  ready  to  make  a  dash  at  his  enemy  when  the  lat 
ter  least  expected  it,  and  was  beloved  and  respected  by  his 
soldiers. 

Fortunately  for  us,  the  advantages  gained  by  the  Federal 
troops  could  not  be  followed  up  for  want  of  men,  and  the 
Confederates,  though  driven  back  at  first,  recaptured  the  posi 
tion  during  the  day,  and  effected  this  with  the  very  same 
troops  that  had  been  driven  back  by  Colonel  Mulligan. 

The  hilly  ground  was  now  promptly  placed  in  a  good 
state  of  defence,  so  that  the  position  was  rendered  strong 
enough  to  withstand  any  attack  on  a  large  scale.  On  the 
following  day  General  Price  erected  batteries,  and  the  serious 
preparations  made  by  him  to  bombard  the  fort  must  have 
caused  considerable  anxiety  to  the  garrison.  Cut  off  from  all 
help,  short  of  provisions,  opposed  to  a  force  more  than  three 
times  its  number,  even  the  bravest  might  feel  discouraged. 
But  Colonel  Mulligan  met  our  attacks  with  undaunted  bravery, 
and  when  we  approached  too  near,  he  sallied  forth  and  drove 
us  back.  It  was  only  after  fifty-two  hours'  uninterrupted 
fighting,  when  all  its  means  were  exhausted,  that  Mulligan, 
finding  his  small  garrison  worn  out  by  exertions,  and  without 
a  chance  of  relief,  resolved,  after  holding  a  council  of  war,  to 
hoist  a  white  flag  as  a  sign  of  capitulation.  General  Price  at 
once  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  and  sent  two  of  his  officers  to 
settle  the  conditions  of  surrender.  The  stipulations  were  soon 


158  WAE  PICTURES. 

made.  The  garrison,  with  their  commander,  were  to  lay  down 
their  arms  and  remain  prisoners  of  war  of  the  Missouri  troops 
commanded  by  Major-General  Price. 

This  surrender  does  not  cast  the  slightest  discredit  on 
Colonel  Mulligan,  his  officers  and  men.  After  having  ex 
hausted  all  their  means  against  an  enemy  of  three  times  their 
strength,  they  had  no  choice  left  but  capitulation.  The  booty 
was  considerable.  In  addition  to  arms,  clothing,  and  ammu 
nition,  they  took  more  than  a  million  of  dollars  in  hard  cash. 
These  dollars  nearly  rendered  our  fellows  frantic,  for  this  was 
the  object  which  had  induced  the  majority  of  them  to  take 
up  arms  against  their  former  Government.  General  Price 
received  Colonel  Mulligan's  sword,  which  he  returned  to  him 
with  a  compliment :  "  I  should  be  sorry,"  he  said,  "  to  see  so 
brave  an  officer  deprived  of  his  sword."  He  offered  to  place 
Colonel  Mulligan  on  parole,  but  the  Colonel  declined,  as  he 
said  the  Government  at  Washington  did  not  acknowledge 
Missouri  as  a  sovereign  State.  General  Price  politely  placed 
his  headquarters  at  the  disposal  of  Colonel  Mulligan  and  his 
wife,  gave  them  up  his  carriage,  and  paid  them  every  possible 
attention.  It  is  thus  that  one  brave  man  honors  another,  and 
by  so  doing  honors  himself. 

The  Confederate  army  had  scarcely  taken  possession  of 
Lexington,  when  a  strong  force  of  Federal  troops  showed 
themselves  on  the  other  bank,  coming  from  St.  Joseph,  under 
the  orders  of  Colonel  Sturgis  (of  the  cavalry),  to  support 
Colonel  Mulligan.  Had  they  come  a  few  days  sooner,  a 
different  result  might  have  occurred.  Colonel  Sturgis,  on 
hearing  of  the  capitulation  of  Lexington,  after  the  exchange 
of  a  few  shots,  returned  to  St.  Joseph,  there  to  form  a  junction 
with  the  army  of  General  Lane. 

Whilst  the  Confederates  were  celebrating  the  capture  of 
Lexington,  their  generals  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  Mis 
souri  sustained  a  series  of  defeats.  Generals  Pillow,  Horde, 
and  M'Culloch  were  driven  out  of  the  field.  This  intelligence 


PEICE'S   EETEEAT  159 

compelled  General  Price  to  relinquish  the  advantage  he  had 
gained,  and  to  make  a  retrograde  movement.  Without  losing 
time  he  commenced  his  retreat,  and  as  he  was  badly  provided 
with  ammunition,  he  sent  one  of  his  aide-de-camps  to  Arkansas 
to  arrange  matters  so  that  his  wants  should  be  immediately 
attended  to,  and  the  necessary  ammunition  forwarded  under 
good  escort. 

General  M'Culloch  promised  to  escort  the  transport,  but 
as  soon  as  he  heard  of  General  Price's  success  he  ordered  the 
convoy  to  halt,  on  the  ground  that  it  might  be  dangerous  to 
forwrard  the  ammunition,  as  General  Fremont  was  advancing 
in  the  direction  of  Missouri. 

Harassed  on  all  sides,  without  ammunition,  hated  by  Ben 
M'Culloch,  General  Price  adopted  the  resolution  of  first 
reducing  the  extent  of  his  army,  and  then  of  making  a  rapid 
retreat.  His  army  before  Lexington  had  swollen  to  25,000 
men  ;  and  this  resolution  of  their  honored  general  gave  them 
great  pain,  and  they  did  all  they  could  to  dissuade  him  from 
the  step  which  he  contemplated.  General  Price,  after  having 
designated  what  regiments  were  to  accompany  him,  took  a 
touching  farewell  of  the  remainder  of  his  officers  and  men. 

He  now  turned  all  his  attention  to  his  reformed  small 
division.  His  task  was  not  an  easy  one.  and  required  good 
generalship.  He  could  not  count  upon  M'Culloch.  Fremont 
had  assembled  his  forces  at  Georgetown,  whilst  Sturgis  was 
advancing  from  the  north  and  General  Lane  from  the  west ; 
and  these  three  divisions  were  marching  on  Lexington  to 
compel  General  Price  to  give  battle.  The  plan  was  not  a  bad 
one ;  but  General  Price,  fully  aware  of  the  position  he  was  in, 
endeavored  to  counteract  the  enemy's  plans.  He  sent  all  his 
cavalry  forward,  and  ordered  them  to  make  a  demonstration 
on  the  Georgetown  road,  to  attract  General  Fremont's  atten« 
tion  in  that  quarter,  whilst  he,  with  his  infantry  and  artillery, 
would  oppose  Generals  Sturgis  and  Lane.  Neither  of  those 
generals  was  aware  that  Price's  large  army  had  been  reduced, 


160  WAR    PICTURES. 

and  that  he  had  now  only  a  small  portion  of  it  under  his 
command  ;  hence  they  were  too  cautious  in  their  movements, 
and  would  not  venture  to  undertake  anything  until  the  three 
divisions  had  approached  closer  to  each  other.  Taking  ad 
vantage  of  the  slowness  of  the  enemy,  General  Price  made  a 
rapid  move  southward,  leaving  orders  to  his  cavalry  to  fol 
low  him  and  to  cover  his  retreat.  He  reached  the  Osage 
without  any  obstruction,  and  crossed  that  river  in  boats  with 
his  infantry,  the  cavalry  swimming  across.  Without  any 
loss,  either  in  time  or  men,  he  reached  the  other  bank  in 
safety.  In  military  annals,  this  passage  of  a  river  by  13,000 
men  will  figure  conspicuously,  as  it  was  performed  without 
pontoons  or  any  other  facilities,  and,  as  already  stated,  with 
out  the  loss  of  a  man. 

General  Price  continued  his  march  without  delay  on  Ne- 
osho,  where  the  few  members  of  the  State  of  Missouri  held 
their  sittings  under  the  presidency  of  Governor  Jackson. 
General  Price  was  received  with  marked  honor  by  his  Gov 
ernment;  and  found  his  comrade  in  arms  here,  General 
M'Culloch,  with  5,000  men.  The  rivals  met  with  great  cool 
ness.  General  Price  had  good  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with 
Ben  M'Culloch's  conduct ;  whilst  the  latter's  envy  was  aroused 
at  Price's  victorious  march.  The  members  of  the  Missouri 
Government  here  resolved  to  send  two  of  their  members  to 
the  Confederate  Government  at  Richmond,  and  General  Price 
had  the  honor  to  celebrate  the  formal  secession  of  Missouri 
from  the  Union  with  a  salvo  of  100  guns.  After  this  harm 
less  ceremony,  General  Price  allowed  his  forces  a  respite  to 
recover  themselves  from  the  fatigue  they  had  undergone,  and 
remained  here  fourteen  days,  when  he  resumed  his  march 
toward  Pineville  in  Macdonald  county,  there  to  reorganize  his 
men. 

Meantime  Generals  Sigel  and  Fremont  concentrated  their 
troops  at  Springfield,  with  the  intention  of  putting  an  end  to 
the  war  in  Missouri.  Sigel  having  proceeded  from  thence 


FEEMONT  KECALLED.  161 

with  the  advanced  guard  to  Wilson  Creek,  General  Price  or 
dered  our  troops  to  retire  on  the  appearance  of  the  enemy  ; 
but  whilst  about  to  carry  out  this  order,  our  rear  was  at 
tacked  by  Fremont's  body  guard,  under  the  command  of  Ma 
jor  Zagony,  formerly  in  the  Hungarian  service,  doing  us  a  good 
deal  of  damage,  and  compelling  us  to  accelerate  our  retreat. 
On  reaching  Pineville,  General  Price  made  arrangements  to 
await  General  Fremont's  attack,  and  then  to  leave  Missouri 
without  once  more  trying  the  chances  of  a  battle.  He  well 
knew  how  to  inspire  his  men  with  confidence  in  his  plans. 

And  now  that  General  Fremont  had  caught  us,  as  it  were, 
in  a  net,  what  saved  us  ?  A  battle  1  No  :  the  Government 
of  Washington  at  this  juncture  deprived  Fremont  of  his  com 
mand.  This  caused  a  complete  change  in  the  enemy's  plans, 
and  allowed  our  generals  full  scope  to  alter  their  position. 
The  Federal  army  was  now  compelled  to  beat  a  retreat,  aban 
doning  the  rich  district  of  Springfield  to  General  Price.  The 
latter  at  once  took  possession  of  it,  and  settled  himself  down 
comfortably  for  a  time  in  the  position  abandoned  by  the  en 
emy. 


WAK    PICTURES, 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

RECRUITING    AT    RICHMOND. 

Stringent  measures  of  the  Government— Price  of  substitutes— The  NOT?  Orleans 
Zouaves. 

AFTER  the  unfortunate  campaign  in  Western  Virginia,  and  the 
reverses  the  Confederates  had  met  with  in  Louisiana,  Mis 
souri,  and  Tennessee,  the  Government  of  Richmond  resolved 
to  take  the  most  energetic  measures  to  redeem  its  losses.  A 
Lill  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  ordering  all  citizens, 
whether  natives  or  settlers,  to  take  service.  All  men  capable 
of  bearing  arms,  from  eighteen  to  forty-five  years  of  age, 
were  called  out.  The  Government  was  fully  bent  on  being 
prepared  for  the  winter  campaign.  Recruiting  offices  were 
established  at  every  corner.  General  Wise's  brigade  soon 
received  a  large  increase  of  men ;  for  old  Wise,  despite  his 
rough  manners,  always  shared  danger  and  hardship  with  his 
men,  and  was  looked  up  to  with  respect.  The  system  of 
paying  for  substitutes  was  now  introduced,  and  a  regular  traf 
fic  in  human  flesh  was  the  result ;  not  a  sale  of  blacks,  but  of 
whites.  A  portion  of  the  rich  planters  of  the  South  were 
discontented  with  the  policy  of  President  Davis  and  that  of 
his  Government,  and  were  eager  to  leave  a  service  which  had 
lost  all  attraction  for  them,  and  the  discomforts  and  hardships 
of  which  had  become  daily  more  distasteful.  All  such  en 
deavored  to  get  off,  and  the  newspapers  teemed  with  adver- 


RICHMOND.  163 

tisements  for  substitutes,  the  price  rising  from  the  modest 
sum  of  10  up  to  as  much  as  3,000  dollars.  Agents  travelled 
all  through  the  South  buying  up  substitutes,  whom  they  dis 
posed  of  at  a  profit.  Soldiers,  too,  were  induced  to  desert, 
and  then  drafted  into  another  regiment.  I  know  the  captain 
of  a  small  trading  vessel,  who  within  a  fortnight  disposed  of 
himself  twice  in  this  way,  and  having  pocketed  some  thousand 
dollars,  succeeded  in  getting  off  to  sea. 

The  Government  endeavored  to  put  a  stop  to  this  melan 
choly  state  of  affairs,  but  it  was  too  late,  the  evil  had  struck 
too  deep  a  root,  and  could  not  be  eradicated.  However,  to 
obviate  it  in  some  measure,  the  Secretary  of  War  issued  a 
decree,  proclaiming  the  punishment  of  death  as  the  penalty 
of  those  who  dealt  in  this  nefarious  traffic. 

Troops  of  every  possible  description  continued  to  arrive 
at  Richmond  to  take  part  in  the  war  in  Virginia.  It  was  a 
fine  sight  to  see  them  arrive.  The  North  Carolina  troops, 
especially,  attracted  the  attention  of  the  citizens  by  their  frank 
and  courteous  bearing.  It  is  true  they  did  not  boast  of  the  fine 
names  of  their  Southern  brethren,  such  as  "  Tigers,"  "  Wild 
cats,"  "  Alligators,"  &c.,  their  regiments  being  simply  desig 
nated  by  numbers,  but  they  were  fine-looking,  brave  fellows. 
Then  came  the  Zouave  regiment  of  Colonel  C ,  for 
merly  a  noted  professional  gambler  at  New  Orleans,  who, 
when  he  found  his  trade  spoilt,  took  to  forming  a  regiment. 
With  the  sanction  of  the  mayor  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
he  established  recruiting  booths  in  the  different  jails  there. 
Each  criminal  was  given  the  option  to  stay  out  the  full  time 

of  his  sentence,  or  join  Colonel  C 's  body  guard. 

Hundreds  took  advantage  of  the  offer  to  escape  from  prison, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  regiment  was  complete.  The  officer's 
staff  consisted  of  noted  gamblers  of  New  Orleans,  and  this 
noble  band  started,  not  to  fight  for  their  country  so  much, 
perhaps,  as  in  the  hope  of  a  little  freebooting.  In  their  wide 
red  breeches,  blue  jackets,  and  capped  with  the  Turkish  fez, 


164  WAR    PICTURES. 

these  men,  bronzed  by  a  Southern  sun,  made  a  warlike  show, 
and  excited  much  attention  wherever  they  made  their  appear 
ance.  It  was  a  strange,  heterogeneous  corps,  formed  of  daring 
men  from  every  country ;  but  wherever  a  Zouave  had  been 
seen,  something  or  other  was  pretty  sure  to  be  missed  shortly 
afterward.  Never,  at  any  previous  period,  were  so  many 
robberies  committed  in  and  about  Kichmond,  as  during  the 
stay  of  these  defenders  of  their  country.-  They  laid  their 
hands  upon  everything  that  came  within  their  reach,  and  were 
the  dread  of  the  farmers  all  round.  The  poultry  of  the  peas 
antry  was  carried  off  at  night  ;  yet  what  were  the  poor 
Zouaves  to  do  ?  the  officers  kept  back  their  pay,  so  they  re 
venged  themselves  upon  the  population.  It  soon  became 
necessary  to  assign  them  a  separate  encampment,  as  the  offi 
cers  and  men  of  the  other  regiments  would  not  mix  with 
them.  Strife  and  bloodshed  were  the  order  of  the  day  :  no 
man's  life  was  safe  who  showed  himself  within  the  precincts 
of  their  encampment.  Among  other  cases  of  lawlessness 
attributed  to  these  men,  I  may  mention  that  of  a  poor  Ger 
man  gardener  who  lived  in  the  vicinity,  and  who  was  com 
pelled  to  abandon  his  house  and  garden,  which  was  all  he  had 
to  depend  upon  for  his  livelihood,  owing  to  the  ill  treatment 
he  received.  The  Government  was  at  last  under  the  necessity 
of  ordering  the  Zouaves  to  leave  Richmond,  and  sent  them  to  the 
Peninsula,  where  they  were  soon  dispersed,  either  by  the  en 
emy's  bullets  or  through  desertion. 


STATE   OF   THE   HOSPITALS.  166 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

HOSPITALS  OF  THE  WOUNDED  PRISONERS. 

Bad  state  of  the  hospitals— General  Winder — Gross  neglect  of  wounded  prisoners 
— The  want  of  surgeons — Humanity  of  Captain  T . 

I  TOOK  a  great  interest  in  the  fate  of  the  poor  wounded  pris 
oners  in  the  hospitals  at  Richmond, — firstly,  because,  owing 
to  the  animosity  which  prevailed  against  the  Yankees,  I  fan 
cied  they  w^ould  not  be  much  cared  for ;  and,  secondly,  be 
cause  I  was  aware  that,  even  with  the  best  intentions,  the 
Government  could  not  do  much  for  so  many  as  30,000 
wounded  men.  Richmond,  at  that  time,  had  the  appearance 
of  a  great  hospital.  Every  public  building  was  filled  with 
the  sick  and  wounded.  Many  of  the  patients  had  never  been 
in  action.  Bad  food,  insufficient  clothing,  and  want  of  proper 
attention  had  brought  them  into  a  state  of  disease.  Two  sur 
geons  to  attend  upon  600  patients  were  all  I  found  in  one  hos 
pital  ;  happily,  among  the  prisoners  there  were  a  few  medical 
men,  who  did  what  they  could  to  alleviate  the  suffering  of 
their  comrades.  I  shuddered  at  the  spectacle  I  had  to  wit 
ness  ;  the  wounds  of  many  had  not  been  attended  to,  and 
maggots  were  eating  into  their  flesh,  whilst  their  clothing 
was  stiff  from  clotted  blood.  I  did  what  I  could  to  improve 
their  condition.  I  went  from  bed  to  bed,  promising  to  exert 
all  my  influence  in  their  favor,  and  many  a  poor  fellow  looked 
me  his  silent  thanks. 


106  WAR    PICTURES. 

I  called  upon  General  Winder  to  represent  the  case  of 
these  unfortunate  men.  Whilst  every  attention  was  paid  to 
our  own  wounded  and  sick  by  the  inhabitants,  the  unfortunate 
prisoners  were  allowed  to  rot  and  die.  General  Winder  could 
not  withstand  my  appeal,  and  promised  me  his  assistance.  I 
then  appealed  to  the  German  and  Irish  population  to  come 
forward  and  ilo  something  for  the  poor  prisoners,  and  in*  a  few 
hours  that  appeal  was  responded  to.  I  myself  sent  everything 
I  could  spare  from  my  wardrobe.  Many  a  bottle  of  wine 
and  parcel  of  lint,  prepared  by  German  ladies,  now  found 
their  way  to  the  hospitals,  and  the  Irish  population,  with  their 
natural  good  nature,  brought  all  the  linen  they  could  spare 
to  the  surgeons  of  the  prisoners.  When  it  is  considered  that 
the  persons  who  did  this  ran  the  risk  of  being  arrested  by  the 
secret  police,  the  very  smallest  gifts  rank  as  great  sacrifices, 
for  even  a  glance  of  pity  at  a  poor  sick  enemy  would  have 
brought  them  under  the  suspicion  of  being  traitors  to  their 
country.  In  a  few  days  some  sort  of  system  was  introduced 
into  the  prisoners'  hospital.  The  sick  were  attended  to  and 
waited  upon,  received  changes  of  linen,  and  were  cheered 
with  the  hope  of  recovery.  Many  a  tear  rolled  down  their 
pale  Cheeks,  and  many  a  blessing  was  bestowed  on  me  on  the 
day  when  I  took  leave  of  them,  and  I  left  with  the  conviction 
that  I  had  preserved  the  life  of  many  a  brave  fellow.  It  is 
almost  impossible  to  form  an  idea  of  the  want  of  feeling  of ' 
the  population  of  the  South.  I  will  only  mention  one  in 
stance  which  subsequently  came  under  my  own  observation. 

It  was  after  the  seven  days'  fight  before  Richmond,  and 
hundreds  of  wounded,  friend  and  foe,  were  brought  into  Rich 
mond,  where  for  a  long  time  they  were  left  exposed  to  a  broil 
ing  sun  upon  the  platform  of  the  railway  station.  I  went 

with  a  friend  of  mine,  Captain  T ,  son  of  an  admiral. in  the 

Confederate  fleet,  to  the  station,  to  render  help.  Owing  to  the 
destruction  of  the  Merrimac,  Captain  T— —  was  out  of  em 
ployment,  and  was  in  plain  clothes.  Captain  T was  a 


SOUTHEKN  PREJUDICE.  167 

fine-looking  man,  had  travelled  far,  and  was  a  perfect  gentle 
man.  When  we  reached  the  station,  the  greatest  confusion 
prevailed  ;  groups  of  wounded  lay  in  all  directions  ;  a  num 
ber  of  benevolent  ladies,  with  their  black  servants,  were  dis 
tributing  tea,  coffee,  chocolate,  and  broth,  to  the  wounded.  I, 
however,  soon  observed  that  they  took  no  notice  of  many  of 
the  sufferers.  Some  one  touched  my  spur,  and  on  looking 
down,  I  beheld  one  of  those  ghastly  faces  which  can  never  be 
forgotten.  It  was  that  of  a  stately-looking  soldier  of  the 
enemy,  in  full  uniform.  "  You  are  a  German  officer,"  he  said. 
"  Yes,  comrade,"  I  replied  ;  and  his  eye  brightened.  "  Then 
I  beg  of  you,  most  earnestly,"  he  said,  "  to  get  me  a  cup  of 

coffee."     Both  T and  myself  immediately  went  up  to  a 

lady  who  belongs  to  one  of  the  best  families  of  the  South, 
and  who  had  just  passed  the  poor  fellow  by,  without  taking 

any  notice  of  him.     "  Madame  St. ,"  I  said,  "  will  you 

give  me  a  cup  of  coffee  for  a  wounded  man  1 "  "  Oh,  cer 
tainly,"  she  said,  and  her  servant  handed  me  a  cup.  I  hasten 
ed  back,  but  whilst  I  was  stooping  down  to  give  it  to  the 
wounded  man,  some  one  pulled  me  by  the  sleeve,  and  to  my 

astonishment,  it  was  Mrs.  St. ,  who,  in  a  harsh  voice,  asked 

me  if  I  was  aware  I  was  helping  a  miserable  Yankee.  "  No, 
madam,"  I  replied,  "  I  do  not  know  that,  but  I  know  that  he 
is  a  brave  soldier,  as  is  proved  by  his  wounds."  At  the  same 
time  I  gave  this  prejudiced  woman  a  look  of  scorn,  which 
made  her  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  and  I  then  gave  the  coffee  to 
the  wounded  man.  Tears  ran  down  his  furrowed,  sunburnt 
cheeks,  and  having  somewhat  recovered  himself,  he  whispered 
to  me,  "  I  am  a  Swiss  ;  I  served  for  ten  years  in  the  Kaber- 
matter  regiment  at  Naples,  but  never  thought  I  should  die  in 
such  a  hole  as  this."  I  endeavored  to  console  him  as  best  I 
could.  Captain  T now  arrived  with  a  basket  of  straw 
berries,  and  pressing  some  between  his  fingers,  put  them  into 
the  poor  fellow's  mouth.  Whilst  thus  occupied,  a  man  seized 
him  by  the  arm,  and  said,  "  I  arrest  you."  It  was  one  of  the 


168  WAR    PICTUEES. 

police  agents.     Captain  T drew  himself  up  to  his  full 

height.  "  On  what  ground  ?  "  he  said.  "  Because  you  are  help 
ing  the  enemy,"  he  replied,  "  and  all  the  ladies  here  are  talk 
ing  about  it."  "  Then  tell  those  ladies  that  I  have  been  taught 
to  practise  humanity,  and  do  not  act  by  their  standard,  and  if 
it  is  your  intention  to  arrest  me,  you  can  do  your  vile  work 
at  the  American  Hotel,  where  I  am  staying.  My  name  is 

Captain  T ."     As  if  he  had  been  bitten  by  a  snake,  the 

miserable  wretch  started  back,  pleaded  duty  and  the  instiga 
tion  of  the  ladies  as  his  excuse,  and  went  away.  Captain 

T looked  both  at  him  and  the  ladies  with  contempt,  and 

continued  his  attentions  to  the  wounded  soldier. 

Should  these  pages  ever  fall  into  the  hands  of  Captain 
T -,  he  will  see  how  keenly  his  noble  conduct  was  appre 
ciated  by  the  writer,  and  he  will,  I  trust,  excuse  that  writer 
for  pointing  to  him  as  an  example  of  the  contrast  which  exists 
between  true  humanity  and  the  heartless  feelings  exhibited  by 
the  more  prejudiced  citizens  of  the  South. 


THE  PRISONS  AT  EICHMOND.  169 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE     PRISONS     AT    RICHMOND. 

Ill  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war—Foul  state  of  the  prisons— Colonel  Corcoran— 
A  contrast. 

WHEN  the  first  prisoners  taken  from  the  enemy  arrived  after 
the  battle  of  Bethel,  a  certain  amount  of  pity  prevailed  amongst 
the  authorities,  but  this,  small  as  it  was,  soon  disappeared 
after  the  murderous  battle  of  Manassas,  when  they  were 
brought  in  in  large  numbers.  The  strictness  with  which  they 
were  guarded  was  nothing  to  the  severity  that  now  took 
place.  The  prisoners  were  locked  up  by  hundreds,  without 
distinction  of  rank — officers  and  men  huddled  together  in 
buildings  formerly  used  as  tobacco  warehouses  and  factories, 
from  three  to  four  hundred  in  one  room.  Amongst  others, 
the  gallant  Irishman,  Colonel  Corcoran.  The  foul  air  of  the 
building  was  enough  to  poison  the  men ;  but  the  authorities 
seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  exercising  barbarous  severity,  and 
stuck  to  that  principle.  As,  under  a  broiling  sun,  each  of  the 
buildings  alluded  to  was  the  compulsory  residence  day  and 
night  of  400  men,  it  may  easily  be  supposed  that  on  entering 
it  from  the  open  air,  the  stench  was  overpowering.  To  get  a 
breath  of  fresh  air,  the  prisoners  had  to  lean  against  the  win 
dows,  where  they  were  stared  at  and  often  hooted  by  the 
crowd  below.  The  feeling  of  humanity  sank  daily  lower  at 
Eichmond ;  and  brutality  increased  so  much,  that  at  last  it 


170  WAE    PICTUEES. 

even  reached  the  better  classes.  Pity  vanished  altogether ; 
even  women,  who  usually  are  so  ready  to  give  a  helping  hand 
to  a  suffering  fellow  creature,  without  inquiring  who  he  is,  be 
came  hard  hearted.  Colonel  Corcoran  put  up  with  this  un 
dignified  treatment  and  the  insults  of  the  mob  with  the  great 
est  courage.  He  was  ultimately  sent  to  Columbia  in  South 
Carolina,  where  at  least  he  found  human  beings,  and  where  he 
was  allowed  to  breathe  fresh  air  without  being  stared  at  by  a 
crowd. 

How  did  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  United  States 
treat  their  prisoners  ?  When,  in  February,  the  greater  por 
tion  of  Wise's  legion  were  made  prisoners  on  Roanoke  Island, 
General  Burnside  and  his  officers  treated  them  with  respect 
and  attention.  The  officers  of  the  Confederate  army  were 
allowed  to  go  free  on  parole.  Both  officers  and  men  of  Burn- 
side's  army  showed  them  many  acts  of  civility,  and  gave  them 
gold  for  their  Confederate  paper  money,  of  little  value  there. 
In  a  few  days  General  Burnside  liberated  all  the  prisoners  on 
their  giving  their  word  of  honor  not  to  serve  until  an  exchange 
had  taken  place.  If  either  of  the  two  Governments  had  a 
right  to  treat  the  prisoners  ,as  enemies,  surely  it  was  the 
United  States  Government,  as  the  Southerners  were  the  origi 
nators  of  this  disastrous  war.  We  were  the  rebellious  sons 
of  a  worthy  mother.  She  was  not  the  cause  of  the  war ;  it 
was  we  who  had  applied  the  torch  and  set  fire  to  our  ohce 
quiet  and  peaceful  home. 

Our  men,  when  taken  prisoners,  were  usually  treated,  not 
like  convicts,  but  as  misguided  children.  But  the  Confederate 
Government,  which  had  already  despoiled  the  Union  of  so 
many  things,  now  wished  even  to  deprive  its  adherents  of  the 
ordinary  rights  of  humanity  and  respect. 

It  is  true  that  many  of  our  officers  felt  the  injustice  of  the 
treatment  inflicted  upon  the  prisoners,  but  what  could  they 
do  1  Orders  came  from  headquarters,  and  they  were  bound 
to  obey  them,  for  the  first  duty  of  a  soldier  is  obedience. 


A   CHRISTMAS   EVE, 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A    CHRISTMAS    EVE.  * 

Camp  life  in  winter— Sad  reflections— Petersburg— Christmas  Eve— The  Author. 

ON  the  23d  December,  1861,  I  rode  back,  after  inspecting  the 
outposts  of  our  division  of  the  Confederate  army.  It  was  a 
cold,  dreary  day ;  the  snow  fell  in  heavy  flakes,  so  that  my 
cloak  soon  had  the  appearance  of  ermine.  Silently  I  rode 
along  the  banks  of  the  New  River,  and  the  stillness  around 
only  seemed  to  make  more  audible  the  roar  of  the  waters  as 
they  splashed  over  the  rocks  in  the  stream. 

No  joyous  shout  greeted  me  from  the  camp  ;  none  of  the 
gay  excitement  of  a  soldier's  life  was  visible.  A  few  groups 
might  be  seen  sitting  silently  and  musingly  round  their  watch 
fires,  worn  out  and  careless  at  what  was  going  on  or  of  what 
might  happen  next :  most  of  the  men  were  in  their  huts,  and 
everything  appeared  cold  and  cheerless.  Why  so?  Our 
proud  hopes  of  victory  were  for  the  moment  at  an  end ;  we 
were  compelled  to  give  way  before  the  all-powerful  enemy ; 
we  were  beating  a  retreat — and  the  retreat  of  an  army,  even 
if  performed  in  the  best  order,  has,  as  every  soldier  who  has 
been  at  the  wars  well  knows,  something  discouraging  in  it. 
Winter  added  to  the  dreariness.  Here,  in  cold  and  snow,  were 
encamped  the  sons  of  those  Southern  districts,  where  the  sun 
is  always  bright  and  warm;  where  the  green  meadows  are 


172  WAK    PICTURES. 

never  covered  with  snow  or  ice.  Some  cast  dreary  looks  at 
the.  summit  of  Hawk's  Nest,  where  the  once  beloved,  now  hos 
tile  banner  of  the  Eepublic  of  the  United  States  unfolded  its 
stars  to  the  wind.  Many  joyful  reminiscences  of  home  and  for 
mer  times  were  awakened  in  the  breasts  of  the  soldiers  on  be 
holding  that  flag,  under  whose  powerful  protection  their  own 
section  of  the  community  had  also  grown  great  and  prosperous 
and  they  themselves  had  lived  in  comfort.  Tattered  and  hun 
gry  lay  encamped  the  sons  of  the  South,  here,  in  Western 
Virginia,  deprived  of  their  former  prosperity  and  content,  ly. 
ing  on  the  hard  ground  with  their  rifles  by  their  side,  eager  to 
aid  in  lowering  that  flag  for  which  their  forefathers  had  shed 
streams  of  blood,  perhaps  to  become,  instead  of  free  citizens, 
the  subjects  of  some  foreign  adventurer  or  native  despot.  - 

My  mind  also  was  disturbed  by  these  sad  reflections  ;  but 
a  soldier's  heart  must  not  brood  over  sorrow,  and  I  urged  my 
horse  to  a  quicker  pace  along  the  river  side  to  rejoin  my  regi 
ment.-  The  dark  night  and  the  roaring  stream  were  not  con 
genial  to  lively  thoughts  ;  in  vain  did  I  endeavor  to  recall 
the  happy  dreams  of  my  youth :  they  were  dispelled  by  dark 
er  thoughts  more  in  keeping  with  the  shades  of  the  night. 
How  could  it  be  otherwise  1  It  was  now  thirteen  years  that 
I  had  been  away  from  my  native  home,  and  now,  drawn  into 
the  whirlpool  of  events,  I  found  myself,  almost  against  my  will, 
serving  in  the  ranks  of  a  foreign  army,  and  fighting  for  a  cause 
with  which  neither  my  head  nor  heart  could  thoroughly  sympa 
thize. 

Occupied  with  these  rather  depressing  reflections,  I  reached 
my  tent.  I  threw  off  my  cloak  and  sat  down  by  the  fire ; 
nature  claimed  her  rights,  and,  with  a  physical  enjoyment 
which  for  a  moment  set  aside  mental  annoyance,  I  warmed 
myself  at  the  glowing  embers. 

Suddenly  I  heard  the  voice  of  a  friend  calling  out  my 
name.  It  was  General  Henningsen,  who  soon,  joined  me. 
"  Here,"  he  said,  "  are  despatches  for  the  Secretary  of  War, 


A   CHEISTMAS  EVE.  173 

and  which  must  be  taken  by  a  trustworthy  hand  immediately 
to  Eichmond.  Will  you  take  them  ?  "  I  jumped  up  at  once, 
ordered  a  fresh  horse  to  be  saddled,  shook  the  General  warmly 
by  the  hand,  and,  accompanied  by  an  orderly,  set  out  on  my 
mission.  "  Keep  a  sharp  lookout,"  shouted  Henningsen  after 
me,  for  he  knew  I  had  resolved  to  take  the  shortest  road, 
through  a  defile  which  might  probably  be  occupied  by  the 
enemy.  A  few  shots,  indeed,  were  fired  at  me  from  the 
heights ;  but,  happily,  owing  to  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
they  missed  their  mark,  and  once  through  the  pass  we  were 
safe. 

It  was  only  on  the  evening  of  the  following  day  that  I 
reached  the  little  town  of  Petersburg.  What  a  contrast  it 
offered  to  the  monotonous  life  in  camp  !  Cheerful-looking 
houses,  with  well-lit  shops,  and  busy  people  going  to  and  fro, 
making  purchases  or  looking  in  at  the  shop  windows.  Merry 
children,  with  their  parents,  buying  Christmas  gifts. 

My  path  now  took  me  through  a  dark  street,  where  I  was 
suddenly  brought  to  a  standstill.  It  was  blocked  up  by  a  de 
tachment  of  soldiers. 

"  What's  the  matter  here  1 "  I  shouted ;  "  why  do  you  stop 
up  the  road  ?  "  "  We  are  waiting  for  a  sure  conveyance," 

was  the  reply,  "  to  send  these  d Yankees  on  to  Salisbury, 

as  they  cannot  nfarch  any  farther." 

I  hastily  got  off  my  horse,  ordered  my  orderly  lancer  to 
see  the  horses  properly  attended  to,  and  accosted  the  prisoners. 
Here  I  found  men  of  every  nation,  as  is  common  in  some 
regiments  of  the  United  States  army.  Germans,  Poles,  Hun 
garians,  Frenchmen,  Italians,  and  Irishmen  were  all  mixed  up 
together,  each,  in  his  own  tongue,  trying  to  describe  his  mis 
fortunes,  and  beseeching  my  assistance.  Many  of  the  poor 
fellows  lay  wounded  and  footsore  on  the  ground.  It  made 
my  heart  bleed  to  see  them.  What  a  contrast  was  this  scene 
of  misery  to  the  gay  shops  of  the  town  !  What  a  Christmas 
Eve! 


174  WAK    PICTURES. 

With  a  round  English  oath,  I  asked  the  officer  in  command 
of  the  detachment  why  he  did  not  get  shelter  for  his  prisoners, 
for  this  one  night,  at  least.  He  answered  insolently,  "  That 
the  vile  dogs  were  not  worth  the  trouble." 

Convinced  that  if  I  was  to  give  a  distinct  order  it  would 
wholly  fail  of  effect  upon  so  coarse  a  nature,  and  that  the 
brutal  officer  would  have  found  a  hundred  pretexts  not  to 
provide  a  shelter,  I  went  myself  in  search  of  one,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  the  large  outhouses  at  the  railway  station 
arranged  as  best  I  could ;  and  I  then  ordered  the  lieutenant  to 
follow  me  with  his  men. 

The  prisoners,  who  numbered  about  120  men,  now  lay 
down  on  benches  and  dry  sacks,  sheltered,  at  least,  by  walls, 
from  the  inclemency  of  the  night.  Good  fires  were  lit,  and 
the  railway  authorities  sent  in  food  for  the  hungry  men.  I 
gave  twenty-five  dollars  to  two  subalterns,  and  sent  them  into 
the  town  for  rum,  sugar,  and  lemons,  and  the  courage  of  the 
poor  fellows  gradually  revived  as  the  hope  of  better  days 
dawned  within  them.  On  my  taking  leave  they  gave  me  a 
hearty  cheer. 

I  remounted  my  horse,  and  was  off  for  Richmond.  I  had 
spent  my  Christmas  Eve  ! 

Here  I  must  be  allowed  to  anticipate  events,  by  introducing 
an  incident  that  some  time  after  pleasantly  recalled  this 
Christmas  Eve  to  my  mind. 

Months  had  passed.  Heaven  had  protected  me.  I  had 
escaped  without  harm  from  the  many  sanguinary  engagements 
which,  as  we  shall  see  by  and  by,  took  place  in  the  first  half 
of  1862,  when  I  was  suddenly  attacked  by  the  yellow  fever 
in  the  swampy  ricefields  of  Savannah.  With  death  in  my 
heart,  I  had  myself  conveyed  to  Richmond  for  medical  advice. 
The  doctors  were  not  wanting  in  good  counsel ;  but  the 
apothecaries'  stores  were  exhausted.  By  the  advice  of  my 
physician,  I  asked  for  leave  and  a  free  pass  to  the  North, 
where  the  change  of  climate  might  restore  me  to  health. 


CHRISTMAS   EVE. 

This  being  granted,  I  reached  the  outposts  of  the  Union  with 
out  difficulty,  and  received  a  hearty  welcome  from -the  gene 
ral  in  command,  who  allowed  me  to  continue  my  journey  to 
New  York  unmolested.  In  fact,  what  was  there  to  fear  from 
a  man  who  was  more  dead  than  alive  ? 

I  regained  my  health,  nevertheless,  in  a  wonderfully  short 
time ;  and  going  down  the  railway  one  day,  in  6th  Avenue, 
New  York,  with  a  friend,  I  was  suddenly  addressed  by  a  sol 
dier  with  only  one  arm,  with  the  question :  "  Are  you  not  a 
colonel  in  the  Confederate  army  1 "  "  Yes,  yes,"  I  replied, 
hastily,  fancying  he  wished  to  pick  a  quarrel  with  me,  and 
seek  revenge  for  his  lost  limb.  "  Well,  then,  Colonel,"  he 
said,  "  I  am  happy  that  I  still  have  one  hand  left  thankfully 
to  shake  yours,  for  I  am  one  of  the  prisoners  for  whom 
you  provided  a  never-to-be-forgotten  Christmas  Eve  at 
Petersburg." 

Much  moved,  I  shook  the  brave  man's  left  hand,  and  quickly 
left  the  carriage,  around  which  a  crowd  had  assembled. 


WAR   PICTUKES. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

BATTLE    OF    BELMONT. 

Kentucky  remains  neutral— Exertions  of  the  Federals  and  of  the  Confederatee— 
Violation  of  the  neutrality  by  the  Confederates— General  Polk  occupies  Colum 
bus—Appeal  of  Governor  Magoffin— The  Federal  troops  enter  Kentucky- 
Colonel  Tappon— General  Grant  commences  hostilities— Pillow's  division- 
Defeat  of  General  Cheatham— The  Confederates  victorious. 

MUCH  to  the  vexation  of  the  Southerners,  who  had  always 
regarded  Kentucky  as  one  of  their  stanchest  adherents,  this 
latter  State  still  continued  attached  to  the  Union.  All  the 
endeavors  of  the  South  to  persuade  Kentucky  that  its  interests 
as  a  Slave  State  rendered  it  imperatively  necessary  for  it  to 
join  those  States  which  had  already  seceded  from  the  Union, 
proved  of  no  avail ;  the  majority  of  the  citizens  of  Kentucky 
declined  to  listen  to  any  such  overtures.  After  the  election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States, 
the  Kentucky  Legislature  resolved,  by  a  large  majority,  not 
to  secede  from  the  Union,  but  to  exert  all  its  influence  to  re 
store  the  broken  pact  between  the  old  Government  and  the 
States  actually  in  rebellion.  Should  it  not  succeed  in  achiev 
ing  this  object,  it  was  proposed  that  Kentucky  should  main 
tain  a  strict  armed  neutrality. 

In  reply,  however,  to  the  demand  of  the  Washington  Govern 
ment  for  Kentucky  to  send  its  contingent  to  the  army  of  the 
Union,  the  Governor  of  that  State,  Magoffin,  declined  to  do  so, 
and  the  Southern  States  exulted  at  this,  as  they  fancied  that  this 


VIOLATION   OF   NEUTRALITY.  177 

refusal  was  to  be  regarded  as  the  expression  of  the  sentiments 
of  the  people  of  that  State.  Subsequent  events,  however, 
soon  showed  that  there  was  no  foundation  for  their  hopes. 
President  Lincoln  requested  that  a  special  Commission  of  the 
State  should  proceed  to  Washington,  there  to  consider  the 
measures  the  United  States  Government  might  think  fit  to 
propose,  in  consequence  of  the  attitude  Kentucky  had  assum 
ed.  In  compliance  with  this  request,  the  various  districts  of 
that  State  selected  for  commissioners  men  whom  they  knew 
to  be  averse  to  a  separation  from  the  Union.  The  result  of 
the  elections  for  the  Legislature  of  the  State  were  also  in  fa 
vor  of  citizens  who  were  known  to  be  loyal  supporters  of  the 
Union. 

The  neutrality  of  Kentucky  was  first  violated  by  the  Con 
federate  Government,  which  ordered  a  division  of  troops  to 
occupy  Columbus.  General  Polk,  it  is  true,  who  commanded 
these  troops,  declared,  in  a  proclamation  which  he  issued  to 
the  citizens  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,  that  the  Confederate 
Government  had  been  driven  to  this  step  because  the  United 
States  Government  had  first  violated  the  neutrality,  by  organ 
izing  a  military  force  upon  that  neutral  ground.  It  stated, 
moreover,  that  fortifications  had  been  erected  on  the  Missis 
sippi,  opposite  Columbus,  with  the  object  of  serving  as  a 
point  tfappui  for  the  United  States  troops  which  the  Cabinet 
of  Washington  intended  to  despatch  for  the  purpose  of  occu 
pying  Columbus.  The  object  of  the  Confederate  Government 
was  forcibly  to  prevent  the  State  of  Kentucky  from  forming 
an  alliance  with  the  Union,  which  might  have  been  fatal  to 
the  interests  of  the  South,  but  all  these  manoeuvres  failed. 
The  United  States  Government  had  ordered  General  Rous 
seau  to  organize  a  brigade  in  Kentucky,  and  to  establish  his 
headquarters  at  Louisville,  which  order  he  executed  so  well 
that  in  a  short  time  he  had  collected  together  10,000  men. 
Thus,  after  General  Polk  had  occupied  Columbus  for  a  short 
time  with  his  division,  he  found  one  day,  to  his  alarm,  the 
8* 


178  WAB    PICTURES. 


opposite  bank  of  the  river  occupied  by  Federal  troops,  who, 
on  his  making  his  appearance,  took  up  a  threatening  attitude, 
pointing  their  batteries  toward  Columbus.  The  citizens  of 
Kentucky  now  sent  delegates  to  Governor  Magoffin,  with  an 
urgent  appeal  that  he  should  order  General  Polk  to  evacuate 
the  territory  of  the  State  immediately,  which  request  the 
latter  reluctantly  complied  with.  Polk,  indeed,  at  first  signi 
fied  his  intention  of  only  obeying  the  injunction  on  the  con 
dition  that  the  Federal  troops  should  abandon  the  opposite 
bank  at  the  same  time,  and  that  the  State  of  Kentucky  should 
give  a  guarantee  to  his  Government  that  it  would  refuse  per 
mission  to  any  troops  of  the  United  States  to  enter  its  terri 
tory  or  occupy  any  portion  of  the  same  ;  but,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  this  attempt  at  interference  with  the  rights  of 
the  State  was  indignantly  rejected. 

As  soon  as  the  Government  at  Washington  was  informed 
of  this  violation  of  the  territory  of  a  neutral  State,  it  ordered 
the  occupation  of  Paducah  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee 
river.  Convinced  that  the  Confederate  Government  was  ex 
erting  every  means  at  its  disposal  to  induce  the  State  of  Ken- 
tucky  to  join  the  revolutionary  movement,  it  ordered  large 
bodies  of  troops  to  be  concentrated  on  the  Ohio,  so  as  not  to 
abandon  without  a  struggle  this  rich  State  to  the  Confed 
erates.  Preparations  on  a  large  scale  were  made  to  convince 
the  enemy  of  the  firm  will  and  intention  of  the  United  States 
Government. 

Meantime,  General  Polk  had  sent  for  General  Pillow's 
division,  in  order  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  offer  battle  to 
the  enemy  if  necessary  ;  and  Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  Com 
mand  er-in-Chief  of  all  the  Confederate  forces,  so  planned  his 
movements,  that  he  could  operate  in  concert  with  General 
Polk.  The  hostile  armies  now  took  up  positions  on  the  Mis 
sissippi,  on  the  banks  of  which  river  they  resolved  to  uphold 
the  flags  of  their  respective  Governments  by  force  of  arms. 

Before    daybreak  on  the  7th  November,  General   Polk 


BATTLE   OF   BELMONT.  1^9 

received  the  information  that  a  body  of  the  enemy's  troops 
under  Major-General  Grant  was  advancing  in  the  direction  of 
the  village  of  Belmont,  apparently  with  a  view  to  give  battle 
to  the  Confederates.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi  we 
had  no  other  force  than  a  single  regiment  under  Colonel 
Tappon,  acting  as  a  corps  of  observation,  and  General  Polk 
had  not  previously  the  slightest  suspicion  that  it  was  the 
enemy's  intention  to  attack  that  regiment  before  we  could 
send  reinforcements  to  its  support.  But  now  awakened  to 
the  importance  of  the  position,  he  ordered  Pillow,  whose 
division  was  the  nearest  to  Colonel  Tappon's  corps,  not  to 
lose  a  moment's  time  in  pushing  his  troops  across  the  river 
to  the  other  bank.  After  personally  superintending  the 
crossing  of  his  men,  General  Pillow  with  his  whole  staff 
passed  over  to  assume  the  immediate  command.  The  enemy 
lost  no  time  in  commencing  the  attack  upon  Colonel  Tappon's 
regiment.  The  outposts  and  sentries  were  driven  back  upon 
the  main  body  of  the  regiment,  and  Colonel  Tappon  found 
himself  in  a  critical  position,  when  Pillow's  troops  came  up 
to  his  support.  The  attack  of  the  enemy  was  repulsed,  and 
the  batteries  opened  a  heavy  fire,  which  must  have  convinced 
General  Grant  that  General  Polk  was  determined  to  maintain 
his  position.  The  former,  instead  of  needlessly  exhausting 
his  men  by  skirmishing,  should,  with  his  knowledge  of  the 
locality,  have  at  once  fallen  upon  us  with  all  his  disposable 
forces,  and  driven  us  Confederates  back  to  the  banks  of  the 
river.  But  as  we  have  already  said,  instead  of  doing  this,  he 
contented  himself  with  desultory  outpost  skirmishing,  which 
gave  General  Pillow  time  to  inform  General  Polk  how 
matters  stood. 

The  Federal  gunboats  having  meantime  taken  up  a  posi 
tion,  they  opened  fire  upon  us,  and  a  daring  attack  was  then 
made  upon  our  centre,  after  an  attempt  to  outflank  our  right 
wing  had  been  defeated  by  Colonel  Betzhoven's  battery. 
This  officer  handled  his  guns  in  such  admirable  style  that  the 


180  WAE    PICTURES. 

enemy's  columns  were  compelled  to  fall  back  upon  their 
centre.  The  attack  upon  our  front  was  then  carried  on  with 
such  vigor  and  effect  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  that  they  suc 
ceeded  in  breaking  our  line,  and  our  men  were  for  a  moment 
thrown  into  some  confusion.  The  troops  then  reformed  in 
squares,  as  best  they  could,  to  resist  an  attack  of  cavalry. 
General  Pillow  now  bringing  up  his  reserve,  consisting  of 
two  batteries  and  the  half  of  another,  was  enabled  to  keep  the 
advancing  enemy  in  check  and  to  restore  the  communication 
between  his  two  wings ;  he  then  also  ordered  up  Lindsay's 
battery,  and  placed  it  in  a  favorable  position  for  raking  the 
enemy's  columns.  All  now  went  on  well  enough  on  our  side, 
when  word  was  brought  that  the  regiments  of  Bell,  Wright, 
and  Russell  had  no  ammunition  left.  This  piece  of  bad  news 
had  scarcely  reached  us,  when  a  message  was  received  from 
Colonel  Betzhoven  that  he  too  was  out  of  ammunition,  and 
must  needs  withdraw  his  battery.  This  was  enough  to  dis 
hearten  most  men,  but  General  Pillow,  fully  aware  of  the 
critical  state  of  the  battle,  displayed  undaunted  resolution  on 
this  emergency.  After  ordering  Betzhoven  to  keep  his  bat 
tery  in  position,  he  formed  the  three  regiments  that  had  ex 
hausted  their  ammunition  into  a  compact  mass,  and  boldly 
led  them  against  the  enemy  with  fixed  bayonets.  The  Fed 
erals  were  now  driven  back  to  the  edge  of  a  wood,  from 
the  cover  of  which  they  opened  a  smart  fire  upon  us  to  which 
we  could  not  respond.  Pillow  then  sent  his  aide  de-camp, 
Captain  Anderson,  to  General  Polk  to  inform  him  of  the  pre 
dicament  he  was  in,  but  the  latter,  uneasy  for  his  own  safety, 
hesitated  to  send  reinforcements.  To  understand  this,  it  must 
be  stated  that  Polk  had  become  fully  persuaded  it  was  the 
enemy's  intention  to  attack  Columbus  this  same  day,  al 
though  all  our  cavalry  pickets  sent  in  word  that  there  was 
nothing  to  indicate  any  such  intention  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  they  having  made  no  preparations  for  an  attack.  But 
Polk  thought  differently  and  was  not  to  be  undeceived,  and 


BATTLE   OP  BELMONT.  181 

consequently  adhered  to  his  own  view  of  the  matter,  in  order 
to  show  his  Government  that  he  was  as  good  a  general  as  he 
had  been  a  priest.*  So  he  allowed  Pillow's  troops  on  the 
other  bank  to  be  shot  down,  without  taking  any  steps  to  re 
lieve  them  from  a  position  which  was  becoming  every  mo 
ment  more  critical.  It  was  only  after  reiterated  messages 
from  General  Pillow,  and  when  our  men  had  almost  fired 
their  last  cartridge,  that  General  Polk  gave  the  order  for  a 
portion  of  his  division  to  cross  the  river. 

All  this  time  Pillow  had  to  withstand  the  incessant  and 
determined  attacks  of  the  enemy.  In  vain  did  he  display  the 
most  chivalrous  bravery,  and  make  the  most  strenuous  efforts 
to  maintain  his  ground ;  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  hold 
out  much  longer.  General  Grant,  aware  of  the  advantage  he 
had  already  gained,  vigorously  renewed  his  attacks  whenever 
he  saw  the  Confederates  endeavoring  to  rally.  It  was  a  sad 
spectacle  to  contemplate  :  the  Confederates  were  gradually 
forced  from  all  their  positions  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries,  and  had  no  other  resource  left  than  to  rely  on  the 
bayonet  as  a  means  of  resistance;  and  in  this  plight  were 
compelled,  moreover,  to  abandon  many  of  their  wounded  to 
the  enemy.  General  Grant  now  got  his  most  effective  men 
together,  and  with  these  making*  another  desperate  onset, 
effectually  broke  our  ranks,  and  drove  us  pellmell  down  the 
banks  of  the  river.  Pillow's  whole  division  was  disorganized 
and  sadly  cut  up — not  one  company  remained  intact — and 
the  men  were  huddled  together  in  the  greatest  confusion. 
Although  the  Confederates  were  just  then  protected  in  some 
measure  by  a  hill,  numbers  were  picked  off  by  the  enemy's 
bullets,  and  there  now  appeared  but  two  alternatives  left  to 
choose  between :  either  to  capitulate,  or  to  fight  to  the  last 
man.  At  this  critical  juncture,  a  Tennessee  regiment  came 
up  to  our  support.  In  their  eagerness  to  help  their  comrades, 

*  He  was  formerly  a  Bishop  at  New  Orleans. 


182  WAR    PICTUEES. 

many  of  the  soldiers  jumped  from  the  boats  and  swam  ashore, 
and  the  moment  they  got  across  rushed  forward  to  fall  with 
fury  upon  the  enemy.  No  quarter  was  asked  or  given,  no 
orders  obeyed ;  it  seemed  as  if  all  the  worst  elements  of 
human  nature  had  been  let  loose,  to  indulge  in  a  fiendish 
gratification.  Additional  troops  from  Texas  and  Louisiana 
successively  arrived  on  the  field  of  battle,  which  ere  long  at 
tained  its  full  development.  The  tide  turned,  and  it  was  now 
General  Grant's  lot  to  be  on  the  losing  side.  Attacked  in 
front,  flank,  and  rear,  he  exerted  all  his  energies  in  vain  to 
maintain  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  He  found  that  he  had  a 
fierce  and  determined  foe  to  cope  with,  and  his  men,  discon 
certed  by  the  furious  charges  made  upon  them,  began  to 
waver  ;  General  Grant  was  unable  to  rally  them ;  they  were 
driven  back  from  one  position  to  another,  until  they  fell  back 
discomfited  upon  their  reserve. 

General  Grant  here  halted  to  collect  his  men,  and  rein 
forced  by  some  regiments,  from  his  reserve,  he  ordered  up 
fresh  artillery  from  the  same  source  and  recommenced  the 
contest.  Observing  that  the  Confederate  General  Cheatham 
was  advancing  in  very  careless  order,  he  threw  himself  head 
long  upon  him,  and  completely  routed  his  force,  capturing 
300  prisoners  and  2  guns ;  after  which  he  made  so  dashing  an 
attack  upon  our  centre  that  he  not  only  checked  the  advance 
of  our  troops,  but  compelled  them  even  to  waver.  General 
Pillow  now  galloped  along  the  line,  bravely  encouraging  his 
men.  Though  nearly  all  his  staff  were  by  this  time  shot  at 
his  side,  and  his  own  clothes  were  riddled  by  bullets,  the  old 
general  miraculously  remained  unhurt.  The  Federal  troops 
continued  their  advance,  steadily  driving  back  our  forces ;  and 
their  general  then,  pushing  forward  his  batteries  closer  to  the 
river,  opened  a  murderous  fire  upon  our  flank  as  well  as  upon 
the  steamers  which  were  bringing  fresh  troops  to  our  assist 
ance.  General  Polk  now  ordered  Captain  Smith  to  run  up 
his  twelve-pounder  rifled  battery  to  the  bank  opposite  the 


BATTLE   OF   BELMONT.  183 

battle  field.  Smith  performed  this  duty  in  the  most  masterly 
manner,  and  in  a  short  time  the  destructive  missiles  from  his 
battery,  flying  across  the  broad  stream  of  the  Mississippi, 
were  seen  to  plough  through  the  enemy's  ranks.  General 
Grant  on  this  immediately  ordered  up  a  battery  of  the  same 
strength,  and  a  very  spirited  cannon  duel  forthwith  com 
menced.  It  was  interesting  to  watch  the  precision  and  cool 
ness  with  which  the  guns  were  handled :  it  almost  seemed  as 
if  the  batteries  were  simply  engaged  at  target  practice,  and 
every  shot  told.  A  great  deal  of  damage  to  the  steamers 
now  ensued,  splinters  of  wood  flying  about  in  all  directions, 
killing  and  wounding  many  men.  Meanwhile  fresh  reinforce 
ments  continued  to  reach  the  Confederates,  which  enabled 
the  exhausted  men  to  take  breath  and  recover  their  failing 
strength. 

As  soon  as  General  Polk  felt  convinced  that  we  were 
gaining  the  upper  hand,  he  crossed  to  the  other  bank  to 
assume  the  command  at  the  conclusion  of  the  battle,  so  that 
he  might  be  enabled  to  despatch  a  victorious  bulletin  in  •  his 
own  name. 

General  Grant,  finding  that  he  could  not  hold  his  ground 
against  the  superior  numbers  now  opposed  to  him,  made  his 
dispositions  for  a  retreat :  his  troops  had  now  been  engaged 
for  full  seven  hours,  and  he  feared  they  could  not  withstand 
another  attack.  A  previously  planned  movement,  by  which 
the  Federal  troops  were  to  make  a  demonstration  against 
Columbus,  had  not  been  carried  out,  and  he  was  consequently 
exposed  to  a  conflict  with  all  General  Folk's  forces  as  they 
were  successively  brought  up  to  the  field  of  battle.  His  ma 
noeuvres  at  the  close  of  the  action  betrayed  his  intention  of 
reaching  his  flotilla,  as  he  commenced  his  retreat  in  that 
direction.  This  was  a  sure  proof  to  our  men  that  the  victory 
was  ours;  and  accordingly  with  a  cheer  they  threw  them 
selves  upon  the  enemy's  retreating  columns;  but  General 
Grant,  who  had  already  given  so  many  proofs  during  this 


184  WAR    PICTURES. 

battle  of  his  prudence  and  energy,  successfully  repelled  the 
attack.  We  at  last  succeeded  in  taking  possession  of  all  his 
positions,  and  the  depot  where  he  had  kept  his  stores  and 
ammunition.  Little  remained  there,  however,  for  the  victors 
to  capture — only  a  few  cooking  utensils  and  a  number  of  our 
wounded  enemies.  The  surgeons  of  the  Federal  forces  on 
this  occasion  evinced  a  commendable  spirit  of  zeal  and  devo 
tion  to  their  professional  duties  by  remaining  behind  to  at 
tend  to  the  wounded.  I  grieve  to  say,  that  these  worthy  men 
were,  in  the  blind  fury  of  the  final  onset,  attacked  by  our  sol 
diers  with  sword  and  bayonet,  and  it  was  not  until  General 
Pillow  came  up  that  order  could  be  restored. 

General  Grant  had  meantime  succeeded  in  reaching  his 
boats,  and  set  about  conveying  his  troops  across;  which 
operation  had  no  sooner  commenced  than  our  men  kept  up  a 
brisk  fire  on  them,  and  this  became  hotter  when  the  enemy's 
boats  fairly  got  under  way.  Nevertheless,  great  order  was 
maintained  on  board,  although  the  vessels  were  exposed  to 
our  fire  for  at  least  a  mile. 

Our  return  of  casualties  after  the  battle  showed  a  list  of 
680  killed,  and  1,370  wounded — many  of  the  latter  severely. 
The  battle  of  Belmont  was  won  by  the  daring,  personal 
bravery  of  General  Pillow.  General  Grant  lost  it  through 
the  misconduct  of  the  Federal  general  in  command  at  Paducah, 
who,  as  we  have  already  said,  ought,  in  pursuance  of  a  pre 
concerted  plan,  to  have  manoeuvred  so  as  to  threaten  Colum 
bus,  and  hold  Polk  in  check,  whilst  General  Grant  should 
make  himself  master  of  the  river  bank.  Whatever  was  the 
reason  that  obstructed  the  execution  of  this  plan  on  the  part 
of  the  general  at  Paducah,  it  has  not  been  ascertained.  At 
all  events,  General  Polk,  as  we  have  seen,  was  enabled  to 
cross  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  with  all  his  forces.  Grant 
was,  consequently,  not  enabled  to  offer  further  opposition  to 
the  superior  numbers  of  the  Confederates,  and  had  no  other 


BATTLE   OF   BELMONT.  185 

alternative  than  to  retreat.     This  operation  he  performed  in 
a  manner  highly  creditable  to  his  talents  as  a  commander. 

It  will  be  a  long  time  before  the  battle  of  Belmont  is  for- 
gotten  by  the  soldiers  of  either  of  the  opposing  armies  ;  it  was 
so  well  contested  as  to  make  them  practically  acquainted  with 
each  other's  bravery. 


L I  B  R  A  R  y 

UNIVERSITY   OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


186  WAK    PICTUEES. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

BATTLE    IN    EAST    TENNESSEE. 

General  Zollicoffer— Rising  of  the  Unionists — General  Crittenden   attacks  the 
enemy— Midnight  march— The  fight— Death  of  Zollicofler. 

THE  consequences  of  the  defeat  at  Belmont  were  most  detri 
mental  to  the  cause  of  the  Union.  Kentucky  was  placed  by 
it  in  an  embarrassing  position,  and  the  Southern  newspapers 
took  care  to  trumpet  forth  the  victory  as  a  decisive  one. 

Early  in  the  summer,  the  Confederate  Government  sent 
Brigadier-General  Zollicoffer  with  a  force  of  several  thousand 
men  to  East  Tennessee,  by  way  of  Knoxville,  as  it  was  re 
ported  that  Federal  troops  were  advancing  in  that  direction, 
through  Cumberland  Gap.  Zollicoffer,  acting  upon  the  in 
structions  of  his  Government,  sent  a  telegraphic  message  to 
Governor  Magoffin  to  the  effect,  that  in  order  to  protect  Ten- 
nessee  he  had  occupied  the  mountain  passes  of  Cumberland, 
and  the  three  long  mountain  ridges  of  Kentucky  ;  that  the 
Confederate  Government  had  always  maintained  the  greatest 
respect  for  the  neutrality  of  Kentucky,  and  that  if  the  Federal 
troops  would  give  up  their  menacing  position  at  Hoskins 
Cross  Roads,  he  would  immediately  withdraw  the  troops  under 
his  orders. 

A  few  days  afterward,  a  detachment  of  General  Zolli- 
coffer's  force  proceeded  to  Barboursville,  in  the  State  of  Ken 
tucky,  where,  after  a  short  engagement,  it  dispersed  a  small 


UNIONIST  EISING.  187 

body  of  Federal  troops.  Encouraged  by  this  success,  Zolli- 
cofler  advanced  on  Somerset,  where  he  hoped  to  meet  with 
the  same  success.  The  Government  at  Washington,  fearing 
lest  General  ZollicofFer  should  stir  up  a  hostile  feeling  against 
them  in  Kentucky,  issued  orders  for  the  concentration  of  a 
large  force  from  the  Western  States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana, 
and  gave  the  command  of  it  to  an  ex-Hungarian  officer,  named 
A.  Schcepf,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier-general.  The  Govern 
ment  could  not  have  made  a  better  selection,  as  this  officer 
possessed  all  the  necessary  qualifications  of  a  general.  As 
soon  as  Schcepf  had  collected  his  forces,  and  made  the  neces 
sary  preparations  for  so  arduous  a  march,  he  lost  no  time  in 
commencing  operations.  His  plan  was,  first,  to  endeavor  to 
defeat  General  ZollicofFer ;  next,  to  drive  him  back  into  Ten 
nessee  ;  and  then  to  make  himself  master  of  Cumberland  Gap, 
from  which  point  he  could  always  exercise  a  certain  pressure 
upon  Tennessee.  He  was  advancing  with  quick  strides  to 
ward  Zollicoffer's  position,  hoping  to  be  soon  able  to  give 
him  battle,  when  the  news  of  the  rapid  advance  of  the  Con 
federate  General  Hardee  induced  him  to  halt. 

The  advance  of  General  Schcepf 's  corps  had  revived  the 
hopes  of  the  Unionists,  who  numbered  largely  in  this  quarter, 
and  their  leaders,  Andrew  Johnson,  William  G.  Brownlow, 
and  R.  Nelson,  confidently  looked  forward  to  the  success  of 
their  party.  These  men  had,  despite  all  the  dangers  and  ob 
stacles  they  had  to  contend  against,  formed  a  conspiracy  on  a 
large  scale,  which  extended  its  ramifications  over  the  whole 
of  the  western  portion  of  Tennessee,  and  into  North  Carolina, 
and  wrere  only  waiting  for  a  favorable  opportunity  to  put  their 
schemes  into  execution.  Their  chief  plan,  it  should  be  added, 
was  to  destroy  all  the  railway  bridges  in  Tennessee,  Virginia, 
and  Georgia. 

Scarcely  had  Brigadier-General  Schcepf  advanced  through 
Kentucky,  when  the  Unionist  party  took  up  arms,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  carry  out  their  plan  of  burning  or  blowing  up  all 


188  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  railway  bridges,  many  of  which  had  to  be  first  captured ; 
for  instance,  the  bridge  at  Strawburg  plain,  where  the  officer 
in  command  made  a  stout  resistance.  This  rising  of  the 
Unionist  party,  however,  which  threatened  to  be  most  serious 
for  the  cause  of  the  Confederates,  failed  in  effecting  its  object, 
in  consequence  of  General  Schcepf  retiring,  and  the  Govern 
ment  forthwith  sent  troops  to  arrest  the  ringleaders.  General 
Schcepf  having  soon  after  formed  a  junction  with  General 
Thomas,  they  agreed  to  offer  battle  to  General  Zollicofier,  and 
commenced  operations  accordingly. 

General  Zollicoffer  had,  meantime,  taken  advantage  of  his 
opportunity,  and  had  marched  through  Kentucky,  where  num 
bers  flocked  to  join  his  standard  from  the  towns  and  villages 
along  the  line  of  his  march,  which  he  continued  as  far  as  Cum 
berland  river.  Here  he  halted,  resolving  to  take  up  a  strong 
position  on  its  banks. 

He  accordingly  set  actively  and  promptly  to  work  to  in 
trench  his  camp,  in  order  there  to  await  the  course  of  events 
in  Kentucky.  As  soon  as  his  works  were  completed,  he 
crossed  the  river,  and  commenced  throwing  up  defensive 
works  on  the  other  side.  He  had  scarcely  finished  this  opera 
tion,  and  got  his  army  into  quarters,  when  Major-General 
Crittenden  arrived  to  take  the  chief  command. 

When  the  war  broke  out  between  the  Union  and  the 
Southern  States,  Crittenden  was  a  captain  in  the  United  States 
army,  and  President  Jefferson  Davis  rewarded  him  for  join 
ing  the  Confederates  by  conferring  a  high  military  rank  upon 
him.  The  intrenchments  of  the  camp,  and  the  works  on  the 
opposite  bank,  were  all  that  could  be  desired :  great  skill 
having  been  employed  in  their  construction.  The  troops 
were  tolerably  well  armed  and  efficiently  organized,  and  were 
amply  supplied  with  provisions ;  but  their  firearms  were 
somewhat  defective.  Both  officers  and  men  were  elated  at 
the  successful  march  they  had  just  performed,  and  looked  for 
ward  with  confidence  to  victory.  Thus,  General  Crittenden, 


MIDNIGHT   MAKCH.  189 

on  his  arrival,  found  an  excellent  army,  ready  to  fight  zealously 
for  the  Confederate  cause ;  the  bad  weather  and  the  state  of 
the  roads  being  the  chief  drawbacks. 

Generals  Crittenden  and  ZollicofTer,  having  satisfied  them 
selves  of  the  efficient  state  of  their  troops,  were  prepared  for 
the  enemy's  attack.  Ere  long  the  news  reached  them  that  the 
Federal  Generals  Schcepf  and  Thomas,  despite  the  execrable 
state  of  the  roads,  were  advancing  from  Columbus,  and  from 
their  movements  it  was  pretty  evident  that  they  were  bent  on 
attacking  the  Confederate  forces  on  Cumberland  river.  Gen 
eral  Crittenden  accordingly  hastened  his  preparations  to  meet 
the  attack.  The  cavalry  was  sent  out  to  forage,  troops  and 
batteries  were  held  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice ; 
in  short,  everything  indicated  that  General  Crittenden  was  re- 
solved  to  march  against  the  approaching  enemy,  to  anticipate 
his  attack,  and  to  fall  vigorously  on  his  two  columns  separate 
ly,  before  they  could  form  a  junction  or  receive  reinforcements. 
Crittenden,  convinced  of  the  success  of  this  plan,  then  com 
menced  his  march,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  General  Zollicoffer. 
After  one  day's  march,  so  much  discontent  manifested  itself 
amongst  his  men,  owing  to  the  hardships  they  had  to  encoun 
ter,  that  it  needed  all  the  strictness  of  the  officers  to  maintain 
order  amongst  them.  The  poor  fellows,  who  were  badly  pro 
vided  with  shoes,  could  scarcely  get  along  the  execrable  roads  ; 
whilst  snow  and  rain  continued  to  fall  incessantly,  turning  "the 
roads  into  a  swamp.  Crittenden  was,  from  this  cause  obliged 
to  abandon  a  portion  of  his  baggage  in  the  mud.  Our  troops 
put  great  faith  in  the  artillery,  and,  according  to  the  number 
of  guns  they  had  with  them,  so  did  their  courage  rise  or  sink. 
Therefore,  whenever  a  gun  stuck  in  the  mud  and  the  horses 
could  not  get  it  along,  there  were  a  hundred  ready  hands  to 
perform  the  work.  After  a  council  of  war,  held  during  a 
halt,  it  was  resolved  to  start  again  at  midnight,  so  as  to  fall 
upon  the  enemy  early  in  the  morning,  and  surprise  them  by 
a  sudden  and  unexpected  attack.  The  plan  was  an  excellent 


190  WAR    PICTURES. 

one,  if  well-disciplined  European  troops  had  been  ordered  to  ex 
ecute  it,  but  was  rather  hazardous  for  recruits  like  ours.  The 
resolution  was,  however,  unanimously  adopted,  and  a  little  af 
ter  midnight  the  troops  were  called  under  arms.  The  men 
were  literally  soaked  through  by  the  rain  ;  many  amongst  them, 
indeed,  were  already  laid  up  by  illness,  and  measures  had  to 
be  taken  to  provide  for  their  wants. 

Zollicoffer's  brigade  being  the  first  ready,  commenced  its 
midnight  march ;  the  other  troops  followed  in  silence ;  and 
the  cavalry  formed  the  van  and  the  rear  guard.  The  march 
was  a  most  fatiguing  one  ;  the  ground  being  so  saturated  and 
softened  by  snow  and  rain  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  along, 
especially  as  we  had  to  carry  arms  and  provisions  with  us. 
Added  to  this,  the  night  was  so  dark  that  we  could  scarcely 
see  a  hand's  length  before  us ;  and  the  men  were  therefore 
obliged  to  follow  close  upon  each  other.  Morning  was  begin 
ning  to  dawn,  the  rain  still  continued  to  fall  in  torrents,  and 
yet  it  seemed  as  if  the  weary  march  would  never  come  to  an 
end. 

Suddenly  the  solemn  sound  of  bells  was  faintly  audible  in 
the  distance ;  some  church  or  chapel  was  evidently  not  far 
off,  and  its  bells  were  inviting  the  pious  to  prayer;  it  was 
Sunday  morning.  The  effect  produced  upon  our  men  was  pe 
culiar  and  striking.  In  the  distance  peaceful  chimes  betokened 
piety  and  prayer ;  while  on  the  spot  hostile  columns  were  ad 
vancing  in  the  dark,  bent  upon  destruction  ;  proceeding  not  to 
pray,  like  good  Christians,  but  to  slay  and  maim  their  fellow 
men. 

Suddenly  a  shot  was  fired — then  a  second.  A  general 
halt  was  now  made,  and  orderlies  galloped  about  like  gaunt 
shadows  in  the  midst.  In  a  few  minutes  a  heavy  roll  of  mus 
ketry  followed.  Like  wildfire  the  news  spread  that  the  enemy 
had  discovered  the  approach  of  our  advance  guard,  and  had 
fired  upon  them.  The  heavy  sound  of  cannon  soon  added  its 
deep  baso  to  the  musketry.  "  Chapman's  battery,  forward ! " 


BATTLE   IN    TENNESSEE.  191 

shouted  the  commanding  officer,  and  our  men  pressed  up  close 
to  the  roadside  to  allow  the  battery  and  ammunition  cars  to 
pass ;  the  lighted  matches  of  the  gunners  looking  like  so  many 
fireflies  in  the  misty  gloom  of  the  atmosphere. 

As  soon  as  the  battery  had  passed,  the  spirits  of  our  men 
revived.  Orders  were  issued  with  decision,  and  were  prompt 
ly  obeyed.  General  ZollicofFer  alone  seemed  not  to  share  in 
the  general  confidence  displayed  by  the  troops.  Silent  and 
sad,  he  sat  on  his  horse  at  the  mouth  of  the  pass,  casting  an 
anxious  look  on  the  animated  troops  as  they  marched  forward. 
Nothing  seemed  capable  of  rousing  him.  Like  a  statue  he  re 
mained  on  one  spot ;  indeed,  had  it  not  been  that  his  black 
charger  sent  forth  incessant  volumes  of  steaming  breath  from 
his  nostrils,  both  the  rider  and  his  steed  might  have  been  sup 
posed  to  be  cast  in  iron.  Usually  so  cheerful,  why  was  the 
brave  general  now  so  melancholy  and  sad  ?  Suddenly  he  put 
spurs  to  his  horse,  and  in  a  few  minutes  man  and  horse  were 
out  of  sight. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  Confederate  troops  were  hotly 
engaged.  The  intention  of  their  leaders  had  been,  as  we  have 
seen,  to  make  an  unexpected  attack  upon  the  enemy,  and  the 
very  reverse  had  happened  ;  they  had  been  anticipated.  The 
whole  air  now  resounded  with  the  roar  of  cannon,  the  roll  of 
musketry,  and  the  cheers  of  the  contending  combatants.  Zol- 
licoffer,  as  was  always  his  custom,  headed  the  first  attacking 
columns  in  person.  Despite  the  snow,  the  rain,  and  the  fog, 
which  spread  like  a  pall  over  the  surrounding  country,  the 
spirits  of  our  men  were  excellent.  The  different  columns  ad 
vanced  cheerily  to  the  respective  positions  allotted  to  them.  As 
soon  as  it  was  sufficiently  light  to  allow  friend  and  foe  to  be 
distinguishable,  General  Zollicoffer,  placing  him  self  at  the  head 
of  the  15th  and  17th  Mississippi  regiments,  addressed  them  in 
a  few  appropriate  words  and  led  them  against  the  enemy. 
The  first  man  to  fall  was  the  standard  bearer,  who,  grasping 
his  flag,  sank  mortally  wounded.  This  somewhat  disconcerted 


192  WAK    PICTUEES. 

our  advancing  columns.  Two  or  three  men  rushed  forward 
to  seize  the  flag,  which  was  again  raised  on  high.  Our  troops 
now  boldly  advanced  against  the  enemy's  well-protected  posi 
tion  ;  they  were  received  by  a  murderous  fire  which  spread 
death  and  devastation  in  their  ranks.  The  officers  showed 
the  most  determined  bravery,  leading  on  their  men  with  sword 
in  hand.  General  Zollicoffer  was  aware  that  he  must  perse 
vere  in  this  attack  without  flinching,  so  as  to  allow  the  other 
troops  sufficient  time  to  take  up  their  positions.  The  two 
Mississippi  regiments  fought  with  a  courage  which  excited  uni 
versal  admiration,  although  their  loss  was  most  severe  :  more 
than  half  their  number  fell  dead  or  wrounded  on  the  ground, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  remove  the  latter  in  the  heat  of 
the  fight.  The  enemy  were  well  aware  that,  if  once  driven 
out  of  their  strong  position,  there  was  but  little  chance  left 
for  them,  as,  owing  to  the  state  of  the  ground,  it  would  have 
been  impossible  for  them  to  manoeuvre  with  any  chance  of 
success. 

General  Crittenden  now  ordered  up  Carroll's  brigade  to 
support  Zollicoffer.  These  sunburnt  sons  of  the  West  rushed 
furiously  upon  the  enemy,  Zollicoffer  in  person  leading  them 
on.  His  black  charger  was  seen  suddenly  to  leap  a  barrier, 
and  at  the  same  moment  the  general  fell  backward,  horse 
and  man  rolling  over  together,  both  of  them  struck  dead. 

A  cry  of  anguish  and  even  fury  ran  along  the  ranks. 
"  Zollicoffer  is  shot !  Zollicoffer  is  killed ! "  Then  using  the 
but  ends  of  their  muskets,  which  were  of  little  use  as  fire 
arms  owing  to  the  wet,  the  infuriated  soldiery  rushed  upon 
the  foe,  felling  them  to  the  ground  right  and  left.  The  battle 
now  became  a  regular  melee ;  the  Federals,  overcome  by  the 
furious  onslaught  of  the  Confederates,  gave  way ;  their  bat 
teries  were  left  unprotected,  and  as  the  artillerymen  did  not 
flinch,  they  were  bayoneted  at  their  guns.  The  attack  and 
the  defence  were  most  obstinate,  and  the  fierceness  of  the 
struggle  showed  that  kindred  blood  ran  in  the  veins  of  the 
contending  foes. 


DEATH    OF   ZOLLICOFFEK.  193 

The  officer  in  command  of  the  Federal  batteries  was  cut 
down  in  front  of  one  of  his  own  guns,  and  a  regular  massacre 
ensued,  which  was  only  put  a  stop  to  by  the  arrival  of  the 
Confederate  Colonel  Morgan.  The  Federals  made  a  hasty 
retreat  toward  the  wood,  but  our  men  were  too  much  fatigued 
to  pursue  them.  General  Schoepf  got  his  troops  together 
again,  and  having  received  reinforcements,  attempted  to  re 
cover  the  position  which  he  had  lost.  A  desperate  struggle 
ensued,  and  our  troops,  despite  all  their  efforts,  were  driven 
back  over  the  hill,  and  lost  the  batteries  they  had  captured  at 
so  heavy  a  sacrifice ;  the  Federals  poured  an  incessant  shower 
of  bullets,  into  our  ranks,  and  although  General  Crittenden 
did  everything  he  could  to  rally  his  men,  it  was  a  useless 
effort.  He  ordered  his  cavalry  to  charge  the  enemy's  infan 
try,  but  that,  too,  was  unavailing.  The  death  of  Zollicoffer 
had  caused  a  panic;  the  flight  became  general.  To  add  to 
the  day's  disaster,  the  bridge  over  Big  Creek  broke  down, 
and  men  and  horses  were  precipitated  into  the  stream.  Gen 
eral  Crittenden  fell  back  upon  his  intrenched  camp,  pursued 
by  the  enemy.  This,  too,  he  was  compelled  to  abandon,  with 
the  loss  of  his  guns  and  baggage,  and  retreated  hastily  toward 
Monticello,  where  he  hoped  to  find  food  and  shelter  for  his 
troops.  The  poor  inhabitants  had  nothing  to  offer,  and  the 
men  had  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger  with  the  standing 
produce  of  the  fields. 

The  death  of  General  Zollicoffer  caused  a  painful  sensation 
throughout  the  whole  State.  The  remnant  of  his  army 
reached  Nashville  in  safety. 

The  corpse  of  General  Zollicoffer  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  who  did  not  refuse  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  remains 
of  the  brave  soldier.  The  Federal  general  in  command  had 
the  body  carefully  washed  and  embalmed.  The  face  of  the 
dead  soldier  bore  an  expression  of  calmness  and  melancholy, 
and  exhibited  no  traces  of  that  animosity  which  commonly 
disfigures  the  features  of  those  killed  in  battle — he  seemed  al- 
9 


194  WAR    PICTURES. 

most  as  if  he  slept.  Who  knows  whether  he  was  not  happy 
at  having  thus  met  his  end  ?  A  rifle  ball  had  penetrated  his 
heart,  and  his  death  must  have  been  instantaneous.  General 
Zollicoffer  was  one  of  those  men  whose  bearing  and  manners 
make  an  impression  not  easily  to  be  forgotten  by  those  who 
have  once  seen  him.  He  was  adored  by  his  men,  and  his 
State  honored  and  esteemed  him  as  one  of  her  worthiest  sons. 
As  long  as  he  was  there  to  lead  them,  his  troops  would  never 
have  experienced  any  great  defeat ;  but  when  they  saw  him 
fall  they  lost  all  hope  of  a  successful  termination  of  the  battle, 
and  their  courage  forsook  them.  His  death  was  a  heavy  and 
irreparable  blow  to  the  whole  army  of  East  Tennessee. 


M'CLELLAN'S  PLANS.  196 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

FORT  HENRY  AND  FORT  DONELSON. 

Kctreat  of  the  Confederate  army— M'Clellan' s  plan  of  operations— Bombardment 
of  Fort  Henry— General  Tilghman— Surrender  of  Fort  Henry— Bombardment 
of  Fort  Donelson— General  Floyd  caught  in  a  trap— Attack  of  the  fleet— Pil 
low's  activity— Iron-plated  ships— Capitulation  and  surrender  of  Fort  Donel- 
son. 

DESPITE  the  humiliating  reverses  which  it  had  sustained,  the 
Confederate  Government,  not  dismayed  at  its  waning  popu 
larity,  was  fully  determined  to  persevere  in  the  war,  notwith 
standing  the  imputation  of  being  actuated  in  so  doing  by  per 
sonal  motives. 

It  had  learned,  through  private  sources  of  information, 
that  General  M'Clellan  purposed  making  a  flank  movement 
with  his  army,  with  a  view  to  transfer  the  seat  of  war  to  the 
Peninsula;  nay,  that  he  had  even  made  all  the  preparations 
for  doing  so.  This  news  had  a  powerful  effect  upon  the  Con 
federate  Government  and  upon  its  generals.  There  can  be  no 
question,  that  if  M'Clellan  had  been  able  to  keep  his  well-de 
vised  plan  a  secret,  he  could  have  taken  Richmond,  and,  with 
it,  put  an  end  to  the  war  without  much  loss  or  sacrifice.  But 
as  soon  as  the  Government  of  the  South  got  an  inkling  of 
M'Clellan's  plans,  it  at  once  issued  orders  for  the  withdrawal 
of  its  army  from  the  Potomac.  The  plans  of  M'Clellan  were 
so  much  dreaded  that,  despite  the  inclemency  of  the  season, 


196  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  Confederate  troops  were  ordered  to  abandon  their  quarters 
without  delay,  and  give  up  works  at  which  an  army  of  100,000 
men  had  been  laboring  for  months ;  works  which  had  cost 
hundreds  of  lives,  and  the  erection  of  which  was  in  direct 
proximity  to  Washington,  had  hitherto  caused  no  little  alarm 
to  the  inhabitants  of  that  capital,  who  must  have  had  their 
slumbers  occasionally  disturbed  by  the  thought  of  having  the 
Confederate  army  so  near  a  neighbor.  These  works,  which 
were  on  a  very  extensive  scale,  were  all  to  be  abandoned,  in 
consequence  of  the  Federal  general's  understood  intention  of 
attacking  us  at  our  weakest  point.  This  fact  alone  entitles 
General  M'Clellan  to  a  page  in  history.  Within  twenty-four 
hours,  he  compelled  an  army  of  130,000  men,  posted  within 
strong  fortifications,  to  give  up  all  the  advantageous  positions 
which  they  held,  and  to  retreat  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
back  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  there  to  form  a  new 
basis  for  their  operation.  Surely  this  must  suffice  to  prove 
that  General  M'Clellan's  plan  was  a  grand  and  skilful  one. 
As  soon  as  the  Confederate  army  had  commenced  its  march 
toward  the  Southern  capital,  Richmond,  the  Government  or 
dered  the  now  indispensable  Beauregard  to  proceed  to  Tennes 
see,  in  order  to  concert  measures  with  General  Johnston  for 
a  plan  of  operations  in  that  part  of  the  country.  But  even 
before  General  Beauregard  had  started,  General  Grant,  with 
a  Federal  army,  was  on  his  way  to  endeavor  to  drive  the 
Confederates  out  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Moreover,  the 
enemy's  fleet  had  steamed  up  the  Tennessee  river,  with  a  view 
to  capture  the  fort  situated  on  the  eastern  bank. 
,  Fort  Henry,  the  stronghold  in  question,  was  in  an  excel 
lent  state  of  defence,  and  was  quite  capable  of  giving  a  foe 
plenty  of  hard  work.  It  was  well  provided  with  guns,  and 
was  commanded  by  General  Tilghman,  a  brave  and  expe 
rienced  officer,  with  a  strong  garrison  under  him.  The  United 
States  general,  Grant,  armed  with  a  powerful  squadron  and 
a  considerable  body  of  land  troops,  lost  no  time  in  going  to 


ATTACK    ON   FOKT   HENBY.  197 

work.  The  attack  was  commenced  by  the  guns  from  the  ships 
opening  a  continuous  fire  upon  the  doomed  fort.  General 
Tilghman  responded  to  the  bombardment  to  the  best  of  his 
endeavors ;  and  although  his  tents  were  set  fire  to,  and  the 
fort  enveloped  in  smoke,  he  made  a  gallant  defence.  Shot, 
shell,  and  grape  were  incessantly  poured  into  Fort  Henry, 
whose  brave  commander,  cut  off  from  all  retreat,  adopted  the 
resolution  of  defending  himself  to  the  last. 

This  determined  conduct  of  General  Tilghman  and  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Henry,  offers  a  striking  contrast  to  the  in 
glorious  surrender  of  Roanoke  Island. 

It  was  not  until  more  than  half  of  his  guns  were  disabled, 
and  a  great  portion  of  his  men  killed  or  wounded,  and  that 
the  conflagration  inside  the  fort  threatened  to  spread  to  the 
ammunition  magazines,  that  General  Tilghman  reluctantly 
consented  to  hoist  the  white  flag  as  a  signal  of  surrender. 
The  enemy's  ships,  seeing  this,  like  a  flock  of  birds  of  prey, 
darted  forward  to  take  possession  of  the  fort.  General  Grant, 
actuated  by  a  feeling  of  respect  for  the  gallantry  of  its  defend 
ers,  returned  General  Tilghman  his  sword  and  treated  him 
with  marked  regard. 

As  soon  as  the  Confederate  General  Johnston,  who  was 
stationed  at  Bowling  Green,  heard  of  the  surrender  of  Fort 
Henry,  he  turned  all  his  attention  to  Fort  Donelson.  He 
sent  reinforcements  thither,  with  exhortations  to  the  officers 
to  use  all  speed  in  perfecting  their  defensive  works,  so  as  not 
to  be  taken  by  surprise  by  the  victorious  enemy.  General 
Johnston  had  scarcely  issued  all  the  necessary  orders  for  the 
defence  of  the  lines  and  of  the  fort,  when  the  arrival  of  Gen 
eral  Beauregard  was  announced.  A  conference  was  held  be 
tween  the  two  generals,  at  which  Beauregard  expressed  his 
entire  concurrence  with  all  the  measures  taken  by  John 
ston  ;  he  further  promised  the  latter  to  exert  all  the  influence 
he  possessed  with  the  Confederate  Government  to  send  him 
such  reinforcements  as  they  could  spare,  and  to  see  that 


198  WAR   PICTURES. 

arms  and  clothing,  of  which  the  troops  stood  much  in  need, 
should  be  provided,  and  also  that  their  arrears  of  pay  should 
be  forthcoming.  General  Johnston  having  ordered  the  chief 
of  his  staff  to  give  General  Beauregard  a  copy  of  his  plan  of 
defence,  as  also  his  order  of  battle,  the  two  generals  then 
shook  hands  and  separated.  Johnston  now  ordered  General 
Pillow  to  take  the  command  of  Fort  Donelson,  and  having 
impressed  upon  his  mind  the  importance  of  that  post,  he  or 
dered  Floyd's  brigade,  which  was  encamped  at  Eepelsville, 
to  proceed  to  Fort  Donelson  without  delay,  there  to  receive 
further  orders  from  General  Pillow. 

General  Floyd  reluctantly  obeyed  this  order,  deeming 
Fort  Donelson,  -no  doubt,  to  bear  too  much  resemblance  to 
a  mousetrap,  particularly  as  a  Federal  general  was  advan 
cing  with  a  large  army  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  fort  at  all 
risks.  General  Floyd,  who  had  a  particular  aversion  to  the 
Federal  troops,  preferred  fighting  in  the  open  plain  or  in  the 
mountains  to  being  shut  up  in  a  fort,  where  the  only  alterna 
tives  before  him  were  either  to  be  killed  or  to  become  a  pris 
oner  of  war.  He  advanced  slowly  with  his  brigade,  hoping 
every  moment  to  receive  the  news  that  Fort  Donelson  was 
invested  by  the  enemy,  and  that  thus  his  chance  of  entering 
it  would  be  prevented.  But  his  hopes  were  doomed  to  be 
disappointed.  He  arrived  just  in  time  to  be  able  to  enter  the 
fort  before  General  Grant  appeared  at  the  head  of  his  army, 
accompanied  by  the  naval  squadron. 

Fort  Donelson  was  now  blockaded  both  by  land  and 
water,  and  the  ships  forthwith  commenced  shelling  the  fort, 
until  night  put  a  temporary  stop  to  hostilities.  General 
Pillow  took  advantage  of  this  lull  to  strengthen  his  defensive 
works  during  the  night  as  much  as  possible.  .  At  daybreak 
the  Federal  ships  were  ordered  to  resume  the  bombardment ; 
and  in  a  very  short  space  of  time,  Fort  Donelson  and  the 
hostile  squadron,  which  had  approached  so  close  as  to  bring 
its  broadsides  to  bear,  were  hotly  engaged  in  a  cannonade 


FOKT  DONELSON.  199 

that  lasted  till  noon,  when  General  Grant  made  preparations 
to  storm  the  fort. 

The  Federal  troops,  elated  by  the  capture  of  Fort  Henry, 
advanced  boldly  up  to  the  moats  which  were  then  full  of 
water,  and  endeavored  to  carry  the  outworks,  but  General 
Pillow  turning  some  of  the  guns  he  had  been  using  against 
the  ships  upon  his  assailants  upon  the  land  side,  poured  a  des 
tructive  shower  of  grape  into  their  columns. 

The  havoc  inflicted  upon  his  troops  by  this  discharge, 
compelled  General  Grant  to  order  them  to  retire  from  the 
assault,  a  movement  that  'was  executed  with  some  difficulty. 
General  Pillow,  up  to  this  moment,  had  reason  to  congratu 
late  himself  upon  this  partial  success.  Despite  the  severe 
bombardment,  the  works  of  the  fort  had  not  suffered  much, 
and  the  garrison  worked  manfully  at  the  guns. 

As  soon  as  night  set  in,  General  Pillow  again  went 
actively  to  work  with  his  garrison  in  improving  his  means  of 
defence.  He  erected  a  new  battery  of  seven  32-pounders, 
and  made  every  possible  preparation  to  annoy  his  opponents. 
General  Grant,  on  his  part,  was  not  idle :  he  was  quite  aware 
of  the  serious  position  he  was  in,  well  knowing  that  if  the 
siege  should  be  prolonged  until  General  Johnston  received 
reinforcements,  the  latter  would  not  hesitate  to  give  him 
battle  under  the  walls  of  the  fort,  which  might,  under  such  a 
contingency,  not  improbably  terminate  in  a  defeat  of  the  Fed 
erals.  Notwithstanding  the  wet  and  mud,  his  troops,  who 
were  ankle  deep  in  water,  set  cheerfully  to  work,  as  the  gene 
ral  had  promised  them  that  the  flag  of  the  Union  should  in  a 
very  short  time  float  from  the  battlements  of  Fort  Donelson. 
A  siege  battery  was  brought  up  during  the  night  to  a  position 
within  six  hundred  paces  of  the  walls,  whilst  another  was 
erected  on  the  flank.  When  morning  broke,  the  work  had 
not  yet  been  completed,  and  General  Grant  would  not  allow 
a  shot  to  be  fired  till  all  was  quite  ready,  so  as  not  to  expose 
a  half-finished  battery  to  the  fire  of  the  garrison.  About 


200  WAR    PICTURES. 

noon  he  ordered  his  iron-clad  ships  to  advance  to  the  attack. 
In  a  few  minutes  these  destructive  monsters  got  up  their 
steam,  and  on  their  approach  General  Pillow  opened  fire  with 
his  32-pounders  on  the  leading  ship,  but  in  spite  of  the  heavy 
fire  the  iron-clad  vessel  crept  closer,  the  shot  flying  off  her 
sides  like  hail  on  the  roof  of  a  house.  When  within  four 
hundred  yards  of  the  fort,  she  veered  round  and  showed  her 
broadside,  the  other  ships  following  close  in  her  wake. 

Like  a  hut  in  a  forest  surrounded  by  famished  wolves,  so 
lay  Fort  Donelson,  encircled  by  enemies  on  every  side.  As 
the  besieging  troops  were  not  at  that  moment  engaged,  num 
bers  of  the  officers  and  men  lined  the  batteries  to  witness  the 
fight  between  the  fort  batteries  and  the  ships.  About  three 
o'clock  the  ironclads  wrere  nearly  all  in  position,  and  at  a 
short  range  opened  a  terrible  fire  upon  the  fort.  As  our  32 
and  48-pounders  seemed  to  have  little  effect  upon  them,  Gen 
eral  Floyd  ordered  double  charges  to  be  used,  which  was  so 
far  successful  that  it  compelled  the  nearest  ship  to  sheer  off,  a 
fact  that  gave  occasion  to  a  loud  cheer  from  the  garrison.  A 
second  ship  was  soon  in  the  same  predicament,  and,  finally,  the 
officer  in  command  withdrew  all  his  ironclads  from  the  con 
test,  satisfied  with  the  mischief  he  had  inflicted  upon  our 
works.  The  Confederates  were,  on  their  part,  not  less  satis 
fied  with  the  result  of  their  labors.  The  casualties  in  the 
garrison  were  few,  and  the  men  had  got  accustomed  to  the 
presence  of  the  formidable  ironclads.  From  hour  to  hour, 
however,  it  became  more  evident  that  (as  experience  has  so 
often  shown)  it  is  almost  impossible  to  resist  successfully  a 
series  of  energetic  and  simultaneous  attacks  by  land  and  by 
water.  Some  of  our  works  were  considerably  damaged  by 
the  cannonade  from  the  Federal  ships,  and  it  was  not  to  be 
doubted  that  when  General  Grant  had  completed  his  land  bat 
teries  he  would  be  able  to  carry  the  fort  by  storm.  Timely 
aid  by  reinforcements  from  General  Johnston  could  not  be 
confidently  reckoned  upon,  as  he  had  already  furnished  all  the 


A   SORTIE.  201 

troops  he  could  well  spare,  and  he  must  remain  in  observation 
at  Bowling  Green  with  the  residue  of  his  force.  All  these 
points  were  duly  weighed  by  General  Floyd,  and  with  much 
anxiety  he  looked  forward  to  the  impending  capture  of  the 
fort.  In  the  evening  he  assembled  his  officers  in  a  council  of 
war,  to  deliberate  upon  the  best  means  to  be  resorted  to  un 
der  the  circumstances.  After  a  long  debate,  it  was  resolved 
that  a  general  sortie  should  be  made  on  the  following  morning. 
The  officers  forthwith  received  instructions  to  prepare 
everything  for  this  desperate  service.  At  midnight  intense 
cold  and  a  snowstorm  set  in,  and  the  soldiers  of  the  Confeder 
ate  army,  already  greatly  wearied  by  night  watches,  and  en 
feebled  by  the  want  of  many  comforts,  had  lost  much  of  their 
energy.  Moreover,  the  troops  selected  for  the  sally  were 
soon  covered  with  snow,  then  fast  falling,  which  did  not  help 
to  encourage  them. 

The  following  is  an  outline  of  the  arrangements  made  for 
the  sortie  • 

General  Floyd,  with  his  brigade  and  one  battery  of  twenty- 
four  pounders,  was  to  endeavor  to  occupy  the  heights  lying  to 
our  right,  and,  on  driving  the  enemy  from  that  point,  to  main 
tain  himself  there.  General  Pillow,  with  Baldwin's  and 
M'Causland's  brigades,  was  meanwhile  to  attack  the  centre  of 
the  besieging  forces,  and,  if  possible,  to  break  through  them ; 
and  then,  if  successful,  by  having  the  enemy  between  him  and 
Floyd,  to  rout  them  or  make  them  prisoners.  Each  brigade 
being  required  to  tell  off  a  sufficient  number  of  men  to  defend 
the  intrenchments. 

The  plan  was  a  good  one;  detailed  orders  were  not  given, 
as  the  bravery  of  the  troops  was  counted  upon  as  much  as  the 
effect  of  combined  action.  The  men  assembled  at  one  A.  M.} 
and  had  to  endure  for  a  tedious  interval  all  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather  ;  they,  however,  stood  cheerfully  under  arms, 
ready  to  obey  to  the  letter  the  orders  of  their  officers. 

At  three  o'clock,  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy  snowstorm, 
9* 


202  WAR    PICTURES. 

they  began  gradually  to  leave  the  fort.  The  snow  lay  so 
deep  that  no  noise  of  wheels  could  be  heard,  and  the  guns  and 
ammunition  vans  moved  silently  along.  The  van  of  the  ex 
pedition  consisted  of  troops  from  Virginia  and  Mississippi. 
These  trusty  men  could  be  implicitly  relied  upon,  and  they 
hoped  to  come  upon  the  enemy  unawares  whilst  wrapt  in 
slumber.  But  they  had  miscalculated  that  enemy's  watchful 
ness.  At  midnight,  General  Grant,  anxious  for  the  safety  of 
his  encampment,  had  visited  all  his  outposts,  recommending 
his  officers  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout.  This  indefatigable  officer 
then  made  a  personal  reconnoissance  of  the  ground  round  the 
fort.  It  was  a  bitter  cold  night,  as  we  have  said,  with  a  strong 
northwester  blowing,  and  the  snow  falling  in  thick  flakes. 

Grant,  now  fancying  he  saw  a  dark,  solid  mass  moving  over 
the  snow,  immediately  ordered  one  of  his  regiments  to  pre 
pare  for  an  attack  on  the  part  of  the  enemy.  lie  had  scarcely 
given  the  order,  when  along  his  line  of  outposts  the  words 
"Halt!  Who's  there1?  "were  uttered.  Our  men,' who  had 
hoped  to  force  an  entrance  into  the  enemy's  camp  immedi- 
diately  after  driving  in  the  pickets,  now  found  that  the  vigil 
ance  of  their  opponents  had  baffled  them  in  that  expectation : 
*  so  they  proceeded  at  once  to  open  fire  arid  to  attack  them  res 
olutely.  The  enemy's  pickets  fell  back,  but  without  our 
troops  gaining  any  marked  advantage ;  while  the  regiment 
ordered  up  by  General  Grant  soon  made  its  appearance  ;  and 
it  was  high  time  it  did  so,  for  the  few  troops  engaged  had  a 
difficult  task  to  hold  in  check  our  attacking  columns. 

Alarm  signals  having  been  promptly  made,  the  [Federal 
troops  speedily  took  up  their  respective  positions.  The  sound 
of  heavy  guns  announced  that  the  squadron  of  ships  also  was 
preparing  for  action.  General  Pillow  now  ordered  his  men 
to  fix  bayonets  and  charge,  and  by  this  succeeded  in  gaining 
some  ground.  The  cold  was  so  intense,  however,  that  the 
men  could  not  reload  their  rifles,  and  the  fight  was  carried  on 
solely  with  the  bayonet  and  the  but  ends  of  muskets.  It 


A  SORTIE.  203 

was  a  curious  sight   to  witness  the  combatants   struggling 
almost  noiselessly  in  the  middle  of  the  night.     Pillow  had 
already  pushed  on  so  far  that  he  hesitated  about  advancing 
farther,  lest  he  should  be  too  distant  from  Floyd's  brigade  on 
his  right,  and  be  left  single  handed  to  cope  with  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy.     He  therefore  sent  one  of  his  officers  to 
General  Floyd  to  request  him  to  form  a  junction  with  him  as 
effectually   as   possible.     But  the  latter  had  very   difficult 
ground  to  get  over,  and  endeavored  to  seize  upon  the  road  at 
W  inn's  Ferry,  hoping  from  thence  to  effect  a  junction  with 
Pillow's  brigade.     The  enemy  opposed  his  advance  foot  by 
foot,  and  when  he  had  nearly  reached  the  summit  of  the  high 
ground,  General  Grant  ordered  a  twelve-pounder  battery  to 
open  upon  his  flank,  which  caused  great  havoc  in   Floyd's 
ranks  and  threw  his  troops  into  confusion.     General  Buckner, 
who  commanded  the  reserve,  immediately  ordered  up  two 
regiments  to  Floyd's  support ;  but  Grant,  observing  signs  of 
confusion  amongst  the  Confederate  troops,  directed  a  general 
attack  upon  the  enemy  along  the  whole  line.     He,  himself, 
led  his  men  against  our  right  flank,  and  drove  us  back  from 
one  position  to  another.     Never,  since  the  battles  of  Rich 
Mountain  and  Manassas,  had  the  Federal  troops  displayed 
greater  steadiness  than  they  did  on  this  occasion.     Here  was 
another  proof  how  a  popular  general  can  influence  the  con 
duct  of  his  troops.     The  struggle  was  a  hand-to-hand  one. 
The  bayonet,  the  bowie  knife,  and  the  but  end  of  the  musket 
were  the  only  weapons  used.     No  quarter  was  asked — none 
given.     Blood  was  shed  in  torrents,  tinging  the  snow-clad 
earth  all  around  with  red  patches.     This  conflict  had  now 
lasted  nearly  four  hours,  and  numbers  had  fallen  on  both 
sides.     At  daybreak  the  ships  opened  the  fire  of  their  guns 
upon  our  troops,  but  soon  desisted  from  firing,  as  friend  and 
foe  were  so  mixed  up  together  that  their  deadly  missiles  would 
have  been  equally  fatal  to  both.     Our  men  were  at  last  com 
pletely  overcome,  and  many  sank  down  in  the  snow  from 
sheer  fatigue,  never  to  rise  again. 


204  WAR    FICTUBES. 

Under  these  circumstances,  General  Pillow  ordered  a  re 
treat  to  be  sounded.  To  effect  this  was  no  easy  task ;  and 
owing  to  the  state  of  the  roads,  the  wounded  had  to  be  left 
upon  the  ground.  Pillow's  sadly  mauled  brigade  now  retired 
hastily ;  Floyd's  and  Buckner's  brigades  bringing  up  the 
rear.  Even  the  successful  enemy  seemed  to  have  had  enough 
of  fighting,  for  he  did  not  molest  our  retreat ;  the  ships,  how 
ever,  continued  to  shell  us,  and  immolated  a  few  victims. 
About  noon  the  last  men  of  the  Confederate  army  had  re- 
entered  the  fort.  Our  troops  were  now  convinced  that  the 
enemy  was  not  wanting  in  courage,  and  that  their  general  was 
not  only  prudent  and  cautious,  but  quite  capable,  by  his  reso 
lute  spirit,  of  repelling  any  attack.  A  horrible  spectacle  now 
presented  itself.  The  whole  plain  around  the  fort  was  strewn 
with  the  bodies  of  the  dead  and  wounded.  Many  of  our 
wounded  men  held  up  their  hands  imploring  help,  as  the  snow 
continued  to  fall  upon  them.  Some  brave  fellows  ventured 
outside  the  fort,  in  order  to  rescue  some  of  them,  but  they 
paid  the  penalty  with  their  lives — the  enemy  being  masters 
of  the  field  of  battle.  For  two  whole  days  the  Confederates 
could  hear  the  groans  of  their  dying  comrades,  without  having 
the  power  to  help  them.  Inside  the  fort  the  condition  of  the 
garrison  was  not  much  better.  There  were  a  great  many 
wounded  whose  cases  could  scarcely  be  attended  to ;  and 
many  of  the  men  had  their  fingers,  toes,  noses,  and  ears  frost 
bitten.  Moreover,  there  was  no  adequate  supply  of  provi 
sions  requisite  for  so  large  a  force  as  14,000  men.  In  the 
night,  General  Buckner,  having  assembled  the  officers  of  the 
fort  at  his  quarters,  plainly  stated  the  condition  in  which  the 
garrison  was  placed,  and  pointed  out  the  impossibility  of 
making  a  much  longer  defence :  advising  a  capitulation.  All 
had  been  done  that  honorable  men  and  gallant  soldiers  could 
do ;  they  were  shut  up  in  the  fort,  surrounded  by  enemies, 
and  could  not  reasonably  hope  for  any  relief  from  General 
Johnston  for  six  or  eight  weeks  to  come.  In  his  opinion,  it 


GENERAL    FLOYD'S    ESCAPE.  205 

was  advisable,  therefore,  to  treat  for  honorable  terrns  of  capitu 
lation.  This  explanation  created  a  painful  feeling  amongst 
the  officers,  and  a  long  pause  ensued  before  any  one  would 
answer. 

General  Floyd  at  last  declared  that,  as  far  as  he  was  con 
cerned,  he  should  object  to  any  capitulation,  and  would  sooner 
try  to  cut  his  way  through  the  enemy.  That  general  had  no 
particular  wish  to  be  taken  to  Washington  as  a  prisoner  of 
war,  for  he  had  rather  an  aversion  to  that  capital.  The  ex- 
Secretary  of  War  probably  would  have  sooner  encountered 
any  risk,  from  cold,  hunger,  or  other  privations,  than  that  of 
becoming  a  prisoner  under  the  Federal  authorities.  Despite 
all  the  entreaties  of  General  Buckner,  Pillow  agreed  with 
Floyd's  opinion,  and  the  two  set  to  work  at  once  to  arrange 
their  flight.  The  latter  picked  out  his  best  troops,  and  added 
to  them  a  regiment  of  cavalry  under  Colonel  Forrest.  A 
little  after  midnight,  this  body  of  troops,  under  the  personal 
command  of  Generals  Floyd  and  Pillow,  issued  forth  from  the 
fort,  to  attempt  to  cut  their  way  through  the  enemy.  General 
Buckner,  who  had  now  assumed  the  command  of  Fort  Donel- 
son,  listened  anxiously  from  the  battlements  for  the  expect 
ed  sounds  of  the  conflict.  The  whole  garrison  was  on  the 
walls  equally  anxious.  A  short  roll  of  musketry,  and  then 
all  was  still.  In  a  few  minutes  the  sentries  on  the  walls  an 
nounced  the  arrival  of  some  stragglers  of  Floyd's  troops,  who 
had  lost  their  horses.  The  escaping  force  had  cut  its  way 
through  the  enemy  and  escaped. 

Early  the  next  morning,  General  Buckner  sent  a  flag  of 
truce  to  the  enemy's  headquarters,  to  negotiate  terms  for  a 
capitulation.  General  grant  at  once  accepted  the  armistice 
proposed  by  Buckner.  He  expressed  to  the  Confederate  offi 
cer  charged  with  the  delicate  negotiation  his  admiration  of  the 
bravery  and  firmness  displayed  by  the  garrison  of  the  fort ; 
entertaining  the  highest  esteem  for  a  gallant  foe,  and  he  should 
do  everything  in  his  power  to  make  the  condition  of  the 


206  WAR    PICTURES. 

prisoners  as  comfortable  as  possible.  He  then  ordered  the 
chief  of  his  staff  to  accompany  the  Confederate  officer  back  to 
the  fort  to  settle  the  terms  of  capitulation  with  General  Buck- 
ner,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  orders  to  his  own  surgeons  to 
attend  to  the  Confederate  wounded  generally.  The  surrender 
of  the  fort  was  to  take  place  that  day  before  four  o'clock. 
"  If  not  completed  at  that  hour,  the  bombardment  would  be 
immediately  recommenced,  and  the  fort  razed  to  the  ground." 
These  words,  spoken  in  a  decisive  tone  of  voice,  did  not  fail 
to  have  due  effect  upon  the  Confederate  officer.  Whilst  they 
were  on  the  point  of  leaving,  General  Grant  inquired  how  it 
came  that  General  Buckner  was  charged  with  settling  the 
capitulation,  instead  of  either  Generals  Floyd  or  Pillow,  both 
of  whom  held  superior  rank  to  him.  On  being  informed  in 
reply,  that  they  both  had  escaped  with  a  considerable  portion 
of  their  troops  during  the  night,  he  was  fairly  staggered  at 
the  unwelcome  intelligence,  and  for  the  moment  was  com 
pelled  to  lean  for  support  against  a  table. 

"  What,  Floyd  escaped !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  struck  the 
table  furiously  with  his  clenched  fist.  "  Floyd  escaped !  the 
very  bird  I  wished  to  catch !  "  It  will  be  seen  by  this  out 
burst  of  disappointment,  that  Floyd  was  not  far  wrong  when 
he  fancied  that  the  United  States  Government  was  very  anxious 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  safe  at  Washington,  when 
they  would  no  doubt  have  clapped  him  in  a  very  pretty  cage. 
Finding  that  his  coveted  prey  was  lost,  General  Grant  turned 
sulkily  away,  and  ordered  the  chief  of  his  staff  to  settle  the 
terms  of  capitulation  with  General  Buckner  as  speedily  as 
possible. 

At  1  P.  M.  the  stipulations  of  surrender  were  so  far  settled 
that  a  Michigan  regiment — a  fine  set  of  fellows — was  allowed 
to  enter  the  fort  with  drums  beating  and  colors  flying,  then 
to  assume  the  duty  of  sentinels.  The  Confederate  troops  as 
sembled  gradually,  and,  under  the  personal  command  of  Gene 
ral  Buckner,  marched  out.  Once  again  the  poor  fellows 


THE  CAPITULATION.  207 

crossed  the  battle  field,  where  many  a  frozen  patch  of  blood 
denoted  the  spot  where  their  fellow  comrades  and  themselves 
had  struggled  so  manfully,  though  so  unsuccessfully,  in  the 
great  sortie.  As  they  marched  past  in  no  cheerful  mood,  a 
cold  winter  sun  shed  its  pale  rays  through  a  veil  of  clouds 
upon  the  scene. 

At  a  given  signal  the  Confederate  flag  was  hauled  down 
from  the  flagstaff  of  the  fort  and  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
Confederate  garrison  laid  down  their  arms.  A  salute  of  can 
non  then  announced  that  the  flag  of  the  United  States  was 
about  to  be  hoisted  on  the  fort,  and  when  the  banner  floated 
majestically  in  the  air,  the  bands  of  the  various  regiments 
struck  up  "  Hail  Columbia,"  amidst  the  cheers  of  the  Federal 
soldiers,  proclaiming  that  Fort  Donelson  had  fallen. 


208  WAE  PICTURES. 


L  I  B  R  A  R 


'•;  if  .*«  I  IV    OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

JOHN    MORGAN,    THE    GUERILLA    CHIEFTAIN. 

General  Johnston,  hard  pressed  by  General  Buell,  retires  to  Nashville—  Secret 
evacuation  of  Nashville—  Fear  and  anxiety  in  the  town—  A  general  flight- 
General  Floyd  makes  his  appearance  with  the  remnant  of  his  troops  —  En 
trance  of  the  Federal  troops—  Order  restored—  John  Morgan,  the  guerilla 
chief. 

THE  surrender  of  Fort  Donelson  placed  the  whole  of  the 
State  of  Kentucky  and  a  great  part  of  Tennessee  in  the 
enemy's  power.  This  was  a  most  serious  blow  to  the  Con 
federate  Government,  as,  independent  of  the  great  loss  that 
thus  ensued  to  the  State,  it  left  General  Johnston  opposed  to 
the  whole  of  the  Federal  forces  under  General  Buell,  who 
was  advancing  with  40,000  men  to  attack  him.  Johnston 
was,  consequently,  obliged  to  abandon  his  ground  at  Bowling 
Green;  he  took  up  a  position  opposite  Nashville,  there  to 
await  reinforcements  and  to  watch  the  enemy's  movements. 
But  Nashville  was  as  good  as  lost  ;  on  the  day  following  his 
arrival  he  was  obliged  to  fall  back  on  Murfreesborough. 

A  scandalous  scene  now  took  place  at  Nashville,  not  easily 
paralleled  in  modern  history.  General  Johnston,  with  the 
object  of  getting  away  with  his  troops  unperceived,  had  quiet 
ly  marched  out  in  the  night  from  that  town.  This  sudden 
and  unexpected  departure  created  great  consternation  and  con 
fusion  amongst  the  inhabitants  ;  the  tumult  reached  its  climax 
when  Governor  Harris  galloped  through  the  streets  announ- 


NASHVILLE.  209 

cing  that  the  enemy  was  at  hand,  and  that  every  man  who  was 
capable  of  doing  so  should  save  himself  by  flight.  All  the 
offices,  courts  of  justice,  house  of  legislature,  where  the.  mem 
bers  were  holding  a  session,  broke  up  ;  the  whole  population, 
in  fact,  was  in  a  state  of  the  most  feverish  excitement,  and 
every  one  prepared  to  leave  the  town.  The  members  of  the 
State  Government,  and  others  high  in  office,  were  the  first  to 
take  to  flight.  The  hasty  departure  of  the  members  of  the 
Government  to  Memphis,  and  the  retreat  of  General  Johnston 
to  Murfreesborough,  added  to  the  fear  that  the  enemy  would 
make  reprisals,  caused  almost  as  great  a  panic  as  if  an  earth 
quake  had  taken  place.  Women  and  children  ran  wailing 
through  the  streets.  Trunks,  boxes,  and  furniture  were 
thrown  out  of  the  windows,  and  lay  scattered  about  the  pave 
ment.  It  was  as  if  the  whole  population  had  gone  stark  mad. 
Every  one  was  shouting  and  running  about  not  knowing 
wherefore.  In  the  midst  of  this  scramble  and  hubbub  a  shout 
suddenly  arose.  "  The  enemy ;  the  enemy  is  coming  ! " 

On  the  heights  above  the  town  a  body  of  troops  was 
really  in  sight.  They  advanced  slowly  and  cautiously,  and 
entered  the  town.  But  these  were  no  hostile  troops  ;  the  new 
comers  proved  to  be  Floyd  with  the  remnants  of  his  brigade. 
As  cautious  as  an  old  fox  who  feared  his  snare,  he  made  his 
approach.  The  noise  and  confusion,  and  the  number  of  per 
sons  taking  to  flight  had  arrested  his  attention,  and  dictated 
prudence.  As  soon  as  it  was  known  in  the  town  that  the 
troops  which  had  entered  were  not  those  of  the  enemy,  but 
Confederates,  with  the  brave  General  Floyd  at  their  head,  the 
despair  of  the  population  was  turned  into  the  most  ridiculous 
rejoicing.  The  Confederates  were  welcomed  as  victors  ;  pro 
visions  and  wine  were  brought  out  for  their  use ;  children 
danced  in  the  streets,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants,  who  had 
returned  to  the  town,  gathered  round  them  to  implore  their 
protection.  But  when  the  soldiers,  after  having  refreshed 
themselves  with  the  good  things  laid  before  them,  began  to 


210  WAR    PICTURES. 

saddle  tlieir  horses  to  proceed  farther  on  their  inarch,  the  as 
tounded  population  discovered  that  these  were  not  troops  sent 
to  protect  the  town,  but  that  they  were  men  who,  themselves? 
were  escaping  from  the  enemy.  Fort  Donelson  had  fallen, 
and  the  enemy  was  advancing  in  great  force  on  Nashville. 
Deep  curses  were  uttered  against  Floyd  and  his  men,  and  the 
population  sought  to  make  up  for  the  time  they  had  lost. 
The  rabble  of  the  town,  who  only  awaited  an  opportune  mo 
ment,  now  began  the  work  of  plunder  and  robbery.  All  the 
shops  that  contained  food  or  drink  were  broken  into  ;  a  regu 
lar  scene  of  looting  ensued.  Women  and  children,  laden  with 
stolen  goods,  were  running  about  in  all  directions,  and  gangs 
of  drunken  scoundrels  rolled  about  the  deserted  streets.  The 
black  population  streamed  into  the  town  to  have  their  share 
in  the  general  pillage,  and,  though  more  than  one  had  his 
brains  knocked  out  for  his  pains,  many  had  the  opportunity 
of  making  a  large  booty.  Several  adherents  of  the  Union, 
who  resided  at  Nashville,  were  in  imminent  danger  of  their 
lives,  as  they  dreaded  •  an  attack  from  the  mob.  Millions  of 
dollars  worth  of  goods  were  destroyed  or  carried  off  during 
the  night ;  and  the  stock  of  provisions  which  the  Confederates 
had  for  months  stored  up  here  was  sacrificed.  In  fact  the 
total  destruction  of  Nashville  was  imminent,  if  the  Federal 
troops  did  not  soon  make  their  appearance  to  save  it  from  so 
deplorable  a  fate. 

In  the  night  the  news  spread  that  the  enemy's  troops  had 
arrived  outside  Nashville.  All  the  peaceful  citizens  who  had 
remained  in  the  town  looked  anxiously  forward  for  their 
entrance.  Pistol  shots  were  heard,  and  a  detachment  of 
United  States  dragoons  galloped  into  the  town,  sabring  right 
and  left  all  whom  they  met  in  the  streets.  The  rioters  and 
pillagers  fled  in  every  direction,  leaving  the  town  in  the  pos 
session  of  the  troops  and  of  the  honest  citizens  who  had  not 
fled.  A  few  hours  afterward,  large  bodies  of  troops  under 
General  Grant  entered  Nashville,  and  soon  restored  order  and 


JOHN  MORGAN.  211 

tranquillity.  With  astonishment  the  Federal  troops  must 
have  looked  at  the  closed  country  houses  and  villas,  which 
seemed  quite  deserted,  and  betrayed  no  sign  of  life  within 
their  walls.  The  owners  of  these  had  fled  with  the  retiring 
troops  of  Floyd.  While  the  Federal  troops  took  quiet  pos 
session  of  Nashville,  the  partisans  of  the  Confederates  on  the 
other  bank  were  preparing  for  resistance,  under  the  leadership 
of  John  Morgan,  a  man  who  had  rendered  himself  famous  by 
his  extraordinary  feats  of  daring. 

Of  vulgar  extraction  and  of  no  education,  but  gifted  with 
extraordinary  courage  and  self-possession,  John  Morgan  had 
formed  a  body  of  men  of  his  own  stamp,  who  preferred 
fighting,  and  the  hardships  of  a  roving  life,  to  any  peaceful 
occupation.  His  band  roamed  about  the  country  with  such 
audacity  as  to  become  a  perfect  dread  to  the  enemy.  Scarce 
ly  a  day  passed  without  some  daring  act  being  recorded  of 
John  Morgan  and  his  horsemen.  Although  he  and  his  band 
belonged,  properly  speaking,  to  General  Hardee's  division, 
and  his  duty  was  to  watch  the  enemy's  movements,  he  much 
preferred  doing  a  little  business  on  his  own  account. 

One  day  he  proposed  to  his  men  to  make  a  raid  upon  the 
little  town  of  Gallatin,  twenty  miles  north  of  Nashville,  then 
occupied  by  the  enemy.  The  very  idea  of  such  an  expedition 
created  a  joyful  excitement  amongst  his  desperate  followers, 
and  like  lightning  they  fell  upon  the  town  and  took  possession 
of  it.  Whilst  his  men  were  robbing  and  plundering  to  their 
heart's  content,  Captain  Morgan  proceeded  to  the  office  of  the 
telegraph  in  the  expectation  of  finding  important  despatches 
there.  The  official  on  duty  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  what 
was  going  on  in  the  town,  and  when  Captain  Morgan  asked 
him  with  great  politeness  what  news  he  had  received,  the 
agent  took  him  for  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army,  and 
replied,  "  Nothing  particular ;  but  inquiries  are  being  made 
continually  respecting  that  rebel  bandit,  Morgan.  But  if  he 
should  ever  come  across  my  path  I  have  pills  enough  to  sat- 


212  WAR    PICTURES. 

isfy  him  !  "  pulling  out  his  revolver  as  he  said  this,  and  flour 
ishing  it  in  the  air  before  he  thrust  it  back  into  his  belt.  As 
soon  as  he  had  finished,  the  strange  officer  thundered  forth, 
"  You  are  speaking  to  Captain  Morgan  ;  I  am  Morgan,  you 
miserable  wretch."  The  poor  official  sank  on  his  knees,  and 
with  the  fear  of  death  full  upon  him,  sued  for  mercy.  "  I 
will  not  hurt  you,"  retorted  Morgan,  "  but  send  off  this  des 
patch  at  once  to  Prentice  :* 

"  MR.  PRENTICE — As  I  learn  at  this  telegraph  office  that 
you  intend  to  proceed  to  Nashville,  perhaps  you  will  allo\v 
me  to  escort  you  there  at  the  head  of  my  band  ? 

"  JOHN  MORGAN." 

It  is  easy  to  conceive  what  a  fright  Mr.  Prentice  must 
have  been  in,  when  the  authenticity  of  this  despatch  was 
proved  a  few  days  afterward. 

After  sending  off  this  friendly  invitation,  Morgan  has 
tened  to  the  railway  station  to  see  the  train  come  in.  In  a 
few  minutes  it  came  up,  upon  which  Captain  Morgan  ordered 
one  of  his  men,  with  pistol  in  hand,  to  take  charge  of  the  en 
gine  driver,  whilst  he  examined  the  carriages,  and  proceeded 
to  take  five  officers  prisoners.  He  then  had  all  the  carriages 
set  fire  to,  and  filling  the  engine  with  turpentine,  tow,  and 
other  inflammable  matter,  stopped  up  the  vents,  and  sent  it 
back  on  fire  in  full  speed  toward  Nashville.  The  engine, 
however,  exploded,  after  going  a  few  hundred  yards.  After 
this  exploit,  Morgan  and  his  men,  with  their  prisoners,  re 
mounted  their  horses  and  gained  the  camp  in  safety,  where 
they  were  enthusiastically  welcomed  by  their  comrades. 

On  another  occasion  he  surprised  a  picket  of  six  Federal 
soldiers,  and  made  them  prisoners.  He  was  quite  alone. 
On  coming  across  them  he  went  straight  up  to  the  corporal 
in  command,  and,  passing  himself  off  as  a  Federal  officer,  ex- 

*  Editor  of  a  paper  at  Louisville,  and  a  mortal  enemy  of  Morgan. 


JOHN   MORGAN.  L'18 

pressed  his  indignation  at  their  slovenly  appearance,  and  or 
dered  them  to  lay  down  their  muskets,  and  regard  themselves 
as  under  arrest.  The  order  was  obeyed  ;  but  when  the  men 
saw  that  he  was  taking  them  in  a  contrary  direction,  they  ob 
served  that  they  were  going  the  wrong  road.  "  Not  so,"  he 
retorted  ;  "  I  am  Captain  Morgan,  and  know  best  what  road 
you  have  to  take."  These  little  adventures,  amongst  many  of 
a  similar  nature,  made  his  name  well  known,  and  acquired  for 
him  a  widespread  popularity. 


314  WAE   PICTURES. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

JOHNSTON    ON    THE    TENNESSEE    RIVER FLOYD    AND    PILLOW. 

General  Johnston  collects  a  new  army — He  occupies  South  Nashville  on  the  Ten 
nessee  river— Outposts— Pillow  and  Floyd  are  brought  before  a  court  martial 
by  order  of  President  Jefferson  Davis— Pillow's  farewell  to  his  troops. 

MEANTIME,  General  Johnston  was  not  idle ;  he  gathered  to 
gether  the  dispersed  remnants  of  Generals  Crittenden  and 
Zollicoffer's  forces,  and  also  of  what  remained  of  Floyd's  bri 
gade,  so  that  the  army  under  his  orders  again  numbered  about 
21,000  men,  a  force  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  take  the  field 
with  some  chance  of  holding  his  ground.  The  fall  of  Fort 
Donelson  had  compelled  him  to  make  considerable  altera 
tions  in  his  previous  plans,  and  to  organize  a  new  line  of  de 
fence.  Without  deliberating  long  about  it,  he  resolved  to 
form  a  junction  with  General  Beauregard,  in  Mississippi,  and 
to  undertake  the  defence  of  South  Nashville,  so  as  to  keep 
open  the  southwestern  railway  for  the  use  of  the  Confederate 
troops. 

It  was  here,  on  the  Tennessee  river,  that  the  most  sanguin 
ary  outpost  skirmishes  occurred.  North  and  South,  with  all 
the  animosity  which  hatred  and  fury  could  excite,  which  cun 
ning  or  deception  could  devise  means  for  gratifying,  endeav 
ored  mutually  to  destroy  each  other.  Here  is  an  example : 

One  day  two  sentinels  were  posted  opposite  each  other. 
The  one  was  a  son  of  our  sunny  South,  the  other  a  moody 


AN  OUTPOST  DUEL.  215 

Northern.  The  Confederate  lay  behind  a  rock,  and  with  the 
eyes  of  a  lynx  watched  every  movement  of  his  foe,  who  was 
sheltered  by  a  tree.  The  latter  belonged  to  a  regiment  from 
the  cold,  frosty,  western  region  of  Michigan,  and  was  a  man 
of  colossal  stature,  a  fine  specimen  of  a  fearless  soldier.  Tor 
some  hours  the  Northerner  and  the  Southerner  had  been  watch 
ing  each  other,  without  either  having  had  a  fitting  opportunity 
for  a  shot.  This  wearisome  inactivity  at  last  annoyed  the 
Southerner,  who  shouted  to  his  foe  to  come  forth  from  behind 
his  cover.  The  latter  obeyed  the  request,  and  coolly  drew 
himself  up  like  a  tower,  by  the  side  of  his  tree.  "  Ping,"  and 
a  bullet  grazed  his  head  without  hurting  him.  "  Too  high  ! " 
he  shouted  back  to  his  enemy  ;  "  it's  my  turn  now."  Like  a 
snake  the  son  of  the  South  glided  from  behind  his  rock,  and 
stood  leaning  on  his  musket  as  self-possessed  as  the  other,  op 
posite  his  enemy.  Crack  went  the  rifle. 

"  Too  low ! "  shouted  the  untouched  Southerner. 

This  game  was  carried  on  for  some  time,  until  a  bullet 
from  the  Northerner  grazed  the  ear  of  the  Southerner.  "  Let 
us  stop  firing,"  shouted  the  latter,  "  my  ammunition  is  out ; 
let  us  go  to  camp  for  more."  Whereupon  both  men  shoul 
dered  their  rifles  and  walked  cheerfully  away,  the  Northerner 
whistling  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  and  the  Southerner  his  favorite . 
tune  of  "  Dixie." 

General  Johnston  intrusted  the  joint  command  at  Chatta 
nooga  to  Generals  Floyd  and  Pillow  with  their  brigade ;  he, 
himself,  taking  up  a  position  between  the  above-mentioned 
town  and  Memphis.  One  morning,  a  messenger  arrived  at 
Johnston's  headquarters,  bringing  an  order  from  President, 
Jefferson  Davis  to  the  effect  that  Generals  Floyd  and  Pillow 
should  be  deprived  of  their  command,  and  that  those  two 
generals  should  proceed  forthwith  to  Kichmond,  to  explain 
their  conduct  when  in  command  at  Fort  Donelson,  and  to 
give  an  account,  before  a  court  martial,  of  behavior  which 
threw  such  discredit  upon  the  Confederate  arrny. 


216  WAE    PICTURES. 

Whatever  might  have  been  thought  of  Floyd's  conduct, 
there  was,  surely,  no  blame  to  be  attached  to  General  Pillow. 
This  latter  general,  by  his  conduct  at  the  battle  of  Belmont, 
by  the  energy  he  displayed  in  the  sortie  from  Fort  "Donel- 
son,  had  given  sufficient  proofs  of  his  zeal  and  courage.  It 
was  very  disheartening  for  so  honorable  and  brave  a  man  to 
find  that  the  fussy  officials  at  Richmond  should  challenge  his 
conduct,  as  every  one  of  his  acts  had  been  performed  with  the 
welfare  of  his  country  in  view,  for  the  glory  of  which  he  had 
often  faced  death,  and  shed  his  blood  upon  the  battle  field. 
And  yet  the  all-powerful  President  must  needs  bring  before  a 
court  martial  a  man  universally  honored  and  respected  by  his 
countrymen.  Rather  an  unfavorable  prognostic  for  the  fu 
ture  Confederate  Republic,  should  it  succeed  eventually  in 
achieving  its  independence !  General  Johnston  himself  did 
not  fail  to  see  the  risk  the  Government  incurred  by  such  con 
duct  ;  and  other  excellent  and  experienced  officers,  on  hearing 
of  what  had  occurred,  frankly  declared  they  would  no  longer 
serve  the  Confederate  cause,  if  they  were  to  be  subjected  to 
any  such  treatment  at  the  hands  of  their  Government.  A  for 
midable  agitation  pervaded  the  whole  camp,  which  hourly  be 
came  more  serious ;  the  feeling  of  indignation  which  had  been 
aroused  among  the  officers  being  shared  by  the  men.  All 
concurred  in  denouncing  Benjamin,  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  the  influential  adviser  of  the  President,  as  the  evil 
genius  of  the  Confederate  cause,  and  the  source  of  more  mis 
chief  than  the  loss  of  many  battles.  In  fact,  the  discontent 
in  the  camp  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  an  outbreak  was 
apprehended. 

General  Johnston  was  placed  in  a  most  critical  position. 
In  front  of  him  he  had  an  enterprising  enemy  flushed  by  re 
cent  success,  and  behind  him  a  mutinous  army.  In  this  dilem 
ma,  he  requested  General  Pillow  to  exert  himself  to  calm  the 
excitement  that  existed  amongst  the  troops,  and  that  zealous 
officer,  true  to  his  duty,  immediately  issued  an  order  for  all 


GKNEEAL   PILLOW'S   FAREWELL.  217 

the  men  of  his  division  to  assemble  at  his  headquarters,  as  he 
wished  to  take  leave  of  them.  Like  a  raging  sea  lashed  into 
fury  by  the  wind,  with  its  waves  breaking  violently  on  the 
beach,  the  troops  proceeded,  in  a  grumbling  mood,  through  the 
avenues  of  the  camp,  while  here  and  there  groups  of  the  more 
discontented  might  be  seen  standing  at  different  points  discus 
sing,  in  angry  tones,  the  events  of  the  day.  A  great  number  of 
men  belonging  to  other  divisions  joined  in  the  crowd  to  hear 
General  Pillow's  farewell  address  to  his  faithful  soldiers. 
The  excitement  amongst  the  troops,  in  their  eagerness  to  hear 
what  the  general  had  to  say,  reached  its  highest  pitch ;  and, 
had  some  energetic  leader  just  then  come  forward  to  denounce 
the  Government,  it  might  have  fared  ill  with  the  cause  of  the 
Confederacy. 

Had  President  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  fides  Achates,  Ben 
jamin,  made  their  appearance  at  this  critical  moment,  I  doubt 
very  much  whether  their  high  position  would  have  shielded 
them  from  the  insults  of  the  incensed  soldiery. 

At  last  a  roll  of  drums,  and  a  flourish  from  the  staff  trum 
pets,  announced  that  General  Pillow  was  about  to  take  leave 
of  his  troops.  Like  a  swarm  of  bees,  all  rushed  eagerly  for 
ward  to  get  as  near  to  the  general  as  possible. 

Pale,  and  evidently  laboring  under  great  emotion,  General 
Pillow,  surrounded  by  his  officers,  appeared  in  front  of  the 
troops,  to  see  them,  perhaps  for  the  last  time.  In  anxious  ex 
pectation  all  eyes  were  turned  upon  him :  it  was  a  solemn 
moment.  In  a  powerful,  yet  trembling  voice,  the  general  bade 
farewell  to  those  whom  he  had  so  ably  led,  with  whom  he  had 
so  cheerfully  shared  the  hardest  fare  on  many  occasions ;  to 
those  who  had  followed  him  into  the  hottest  fire,  wittingly 
facing  death  and  destruction,  that  they  might  participate  in  the 
dangers  he  was  ever  ready  to  confront.  As  he  stood  before 
them,  the  cold  winter  wind  blowing  through  his  scanty  white 
hair,  his  heart  heaved  with  scorn  at  the  malice  of  his  enemies  ; 
but  not  one  word  of  anger  passed  his  lips.  He  exhorted  the 
10 


218  WAR    PICTURES. 

soldiers,  as  true  sons  of  their  country,  to  hold  firmly  together^ 
and  remain  faithful  to  that  cause  for  which  they  had  already 
expended  so  much  blood  ;  and  urged  them  to  be  prepared  to 
fight  for  it  again.  With  an  ironical  smile,  he  added,  u  We 
have  not  been  fighting  for  the  interests  of  President  Davis,  but 
for  the  common  welfare  of  the  whole  Southern  people,  and  for 
the  Confederacy  ;  we  are  ready  to  fight  and  die  for  our  coun 
try,  not  for  the  private  interests  of  a  few.  I  am  about  to  quit 
the  theatre  of  war  ;  but  you  must  persevere  in  the  path  which 
you  have  selected.  Wherever  I  may  be,  however,  my  heart  and 
my  thoughts  will  accompany  you ;  and  when  the  news  of 
your  gallant  deeds  reaches  me,  then  I  shall  proudly  exclaim  : 
1  Well  done,  my  own  my  brave  fellows  !'  ':  Many  an  eye 
grew  dim,  and  many  a  sunburnt,  brawny  hand  was  now  stretch 
ed  out  to  shake  that  of  the  general,  who  thus  concluded  his 
address :  "  The  Government  has  the  power  to  deprive  me  of 
my  command,  but  it  has  not  the  power  to  deprive  me  of  the 
love  of  my  brave  comrades !"  When  he  had  uttered  these 
words,  the  enthusiastic  cheering  of  the  men  knew  no  bounds. 
They  all  rushed  forward,  each  eagerly  bent  on  shaking  hands 
once  more  with  his  gallant  commander,  and  it  was  quite  affect 
ing  to  see,  amongst  this  excited  crowd,  one  of  the  wild  hunt 
ers  of  Arkansas  advance  to  General  Pillow,  and  exclaim,  in 
simple  but  energetic  terms  :  "  Never  mind,  General,  though 
you  leave  us,  you  may  be  sure  that,  far  off  as  we  may  be  from 
you,  you  will  never  have  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  your  brave 
boys." 


GENERAL   ALBERT   SIDNEY   JOHNSTON.  210 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

BATTLE    OF    8IIILOH. 

General  Johnston,  with  his  army,  joins  General  Beauregard— General  Grant's 
plan  of  attack — March  on  Shiloh — Commencement  of  the  battle  on  the  morn* 
ing  of  the  6th  April — Prentiss's  division  lays  down  its  arms — General  Johnston 
mortally  wounded— Desperate  attack  of  the  Confederates— Brave  conduct  of 
General  Grant — Grant  breaks  through  our  centre — Bravery  of  the  German 
brigade— The  attack  of  the  Federal  troops— The  Confederates  hard  pressed— 
Want  of  ammunition— Beauregard  compelled  to  fall  back— Names  of  the 
generals  who  fell  in  the  battle— Loss  of  the  Confederates— Prince  Polignac— 
Beauregard  collects  a  new  army— Charles  Yan  Dorn  and  General  Price  como  up 
in  support. 

GENERAL  JOHNSTON  expressed  his  deep  sense  of  obligation  to 
General  Pillow  for  the  manner  in  which  the  latter  had  re 
sponded  to  his  request,  and  thus  put  a  stop  to  any  further  act 
of  insubordination  amongst  his  troops,  and  he  now  lost  no 
time  in  taking  the  necessary  steps  to  form  a  junction  with 
General  Beauregard,  on  the  Mississippi.  Beauregard  had 
assembled  his  army  at  Corinth,  and  was  carefully  watching 
the  movements  of  the  enemy  on  the  Tennessee  and  the  neigh 
boring  rivers,  when  he  received  the  information  that  General 
Johnston  was  approaching  with  the  army  under  his  orders. 
The  news  spread  like  wildfire  through  the  camp,  and  when 
that  officer  and  his  aide-de-camp  rode,  one  fine  morning,  up  to 
Beauregard's  headquarters,  the  rejoicing  was  unbounded. 
The  strength  of  General  Johnston's  army  was  25,000  men, 
and  this  addition  to  Beauregard's  force  was  very  opportune, 


220  WAK    PICTURES. 

as  the  Federal  Generals,  Halleck  and  Buell,  held  positions  at 
no  great  distance,  and  an  attack  from  either  of  them  might  be 
expected  at  any  moment.  Johnston's  columns  gradually 
poured  into  the  camp,  where  they  met  with  a  hearty  welcome 
from  Beauregard's  troops,  who,  however,  stood  high  in  their 
own  estimation,  on  account  of  the  deeds  they  had  performed 
in  Arkansas,  Texas,  and  Pensacola.  Johnston's  troops  were 
in  a  very  sorry  condition ;  many  of  the  men  had  no  shoes  or 
cloaks,  and  Beauregard's  officers  eagerly  inquired  if  it  was 
true  that  they  had  gone  through  the  severe  winter  campaign 
in  such  a  plight.  "  We  were  often  much  worse  off  than  we 
are  now,"  was  the  reply  of  these  hardy,  weather-beaten  fel 
lows.  Eagerly  did  Beauregard's  troops  bring  all  they  could 
spare  in  the  shape  of  clothing  and  provisions,  for  they  admit 
ted  that  these  brave  men  had  undergone  greater  hardships 
than  they  themselves  had.  Generals  Johnston  and  Beaure- 
gard  held  a  private  conference  to  communicate  their  views  to 
each  other,  and  adopt  some  fixed  plan  of  action.  Beauregard 
assumed  the  command  of  the  position  on  the  line  of  railway 
which  runs  from  Corinth  to  luka,  whilst  Johnston  took  up  a 
position  on  the  line  between  Corinth  and  Bethel;  and  thus 
advantageously  posted,  they  resolved  to  organize  their  army, 
all  the  time  watching  the  enemy's  movements. 

General  Grant,  whose  efforts  had  met  with  so  much  suc 
cess,  now  wished  to  attack  the  enemy  in  the  cotton-growing 
districts  of  the  South,  and,  with  this  object  in  view,  he  con 
centrated  all  his  troops  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tennessee, 
in  the  direction  from  Pittsburg  toward  Savannah,  as  he 
looked  forward  to  form  a  junction  with  General  Buell,  who 
was  moving  in  the  direction  from  Nashville  to  Columbus. 
General  Johnston,  who  saw  with  some  anxiety  this  attempted 
junction  of  the  two  armies  of  the  enemy,  as  it  would  place 
him  in  an  awkward  position,  proposed  to  General  Beauregard 
to  make  a  combined  attack  upon  Grant's  army  before  Buell 
joined  him,  as  the  odds  were  two  to  one  they  would  beat  him. 


JOHNSTON'S  PLAN  OF  ATTACK.  221 

General  Beauregard,  who  admitted  the  superior  strategic 
tactics  of  General  Johnston,  at  once  agreed  to  his  plans,  and 
it  wae  resolved  to  make  the  proposed  attack  without  delay, 
with  the  purpose  of  driving  General  Grant  from  his  position, 
and,  if  possible,  to  take  him  and  his  army  prisoners,  but  in 
any  case  to  compel  them  to  fall  back  on  their  transport  ships, 
and  thereby  oblige  them  to  leave  all  their  abundant  stores 
and  ammunition  in  our  hands.  The  requisite  preparations 
were  forthwith  made  for  conveying  the  intended  booty  to 
Corinth.  According  to  General  Johnston's  plan,  Saturday 
morning  was  fixed  for  the  attack,  and  300  carts  were  to  be 
ready  with  their  drivers  to  carry  off  the  captured  stores  at 
once.  General  Beauregard  had  commenced  his  movements 
already  on  the  Thursday,  but  the  roads  were  in  such  a  bad 
condition  that  it  was  Saturday  morning  before  he  was  ready 
to  commence  operations ;  consequently  the  general  attack 
was  postponed  till  the  Sunday  morning.  If  Beauregard  had 
more  carefully  provided  for  the  wants  of  his  men,  and  been 
enabled  to  make  the  attack  on  the  Saturday,  as  had  been  pre 
viously  agreed  upon,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  on  that 
day  the  Confederates  would  have  achieved  a  victory,  because 
before  General  Buell  would  have  had  time  to  come  up  to  sup 
port  Grant,  the  latter  would,  in  all  probability,  have  been 
routed.  It  is  thus  evident  that  Beauregard  had  delayed  many 
preparations  which  ought  to  have  been  made  long  before. 

The  orders  for  the  attack  wrere  now  issued.  General 
Hardee  was  to  march,  with  his  corps,  and  with  a  brigade  of 
General  Bragg,  against  Pittsburg,  whilst  the  cavalry  was  to 
occupy  the  plain.  Close  on  its  heels  was  to  follow  General 
Bragg's  2d  corps  cFarmee,  whilst  the  corps  cFarmee  of  Generals 
Johnston  and  Polk  were  to  advance  on  a  much  worse  road, 
which  ran  in  a  parallel  line  with  the  other,  and  the  whole  of 
the  reserve  was  to  follow  on  a  third  road,  under  the  command 
of  General  Breckinridge. 

Despite  the  bad  roads,  the  troops  advanced  cheerfully. 


222  WAR    PICTUEES. 

Every  man  seemed  confident  of  victory,  and  before  midnight 
on  Saturday  they  had  reached  the  vicinity  of  Shiloh,  and  were 
consequently  in  face  of  the  enemy.  ;  • 

The  morning  of  the  6th  of  April  had  scarcely  dawned,  and 
the  first  rays  of  light  were  only  just  fringing  the  undulating 
ground,  when  we  beheld  the  enemy's  army  spread  out  before 
us.  They  had  taken  up  a  position  near  Shiloh,  making  the 
church  their  chief  point  tfappui,  and  occupying  the  road  which 
leads  from  Pittsburg  to  Corinth,  with  a  strong  force.  The 
whole  conformation  of  the  ground  appeared  as  if  purposely 
made  for  a  battle  between  two  large  armies.  A  better  battle 
ground  could  scarcely  be  found  anywhere  than  the  one  now 
spread  before  us.  It  was  not  an  extensive  plain,  but  one  of 
those  undulating,  broken  tracts  of  country  upon  which  both 
armies  could  carry  out  splendid  manoeuvres.  There  was 
scope  here  for  the  movements  of  both  cavalry  and  artillery  to 
their  hearts'  desire,  and  the  ground,  in  fact,  offered  opportuni 
ties  for  the  full  display  of  good  generalship. 

The  watchful  enemy  had  scarcely  perceived  the  heads  of 
our  first  advancing  columns,  when  a  shot  from  a  rifled  cannon 
sent  us  a  morning  greeting,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  complete 
change  had  come  over  the  whole  scene.  In  the  stead  of  the 
peaceful  stillness  which  only  a  few  moments  previously 
reigned  around,  the  whole  air  now  resounded  with  noise  and 
tumult.  Federal  regiments,  with  flags  flying  and  bands  play 
ing,  marched  into  their  respective  positions;  batteries  and 
ammunition  vans  rattled  forward,  whilst  generals,  officers, 
and.  their  aide-de-camps  could  be  seen  galloping  to  and  fro 
like  misty  shadows.  A  similar  life  and  activity  soon  display 
ed  itself  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  it  was  a  grand  spectacle 
to  behold  the  regiments  file  past  one  by  one.  Each  regiment 
could  be  distinguished  by  its  colors,  appearance,  and  manner 
of  marching  ;  and  these  indicated  to  what  State  it  belonged. 
The  fiery,  sprightly  sons  of  Louisiana  seemed  almost  to  dance 
oast,  whilst  the  men  of  Texas  and  Arkansas  advanced  with  a 


BATTLE    OF    SIIILOII.  223 

steady,  firm  step,  and  a  self-possessed  look ;  while  the  firm 
grasp  with  which  they  held  their  muskets  indicated  that  the 
enemy  would  have  hard  work  to  do  in  dealing  with  them. 

Small  bodies  of  light  cavalry,  splendidly  mounted,  now 
swept  past,  under  the  command  of  Young,  Lewis,  and  Connor, 
and  the  batteries  of  the  different  corps  d'armee  followed  up 
quickly  with  a  thundering  noise.  In  a  short  time  the  firing 
commenced  along  the  top  outpost's  line,  and  gradually  in 
creased  in  vigor.  As  yet,  however,  none  of  the  batteries  had 
been  brought  into  play ;  no  whole  regiment  had  been  engaged  ; 
the  troops  were  taking  up  their  respective  positions  before 
the  conflict  wras  to  begin.  Every  man  felt  that  a  great  battle 
was  on  the  eve  of  being  fought,  and  made  his  preparations 
accordingly. 

At  last  the  distribution  of  the  troops  was  completed,  and 
each  corps  had  taken  up  the  position  allotted  to  it. 

The  avant-garde  which  was  to  commence  the  battle  was 
annexed  to  General  Hardee's  corps  tfarmee  ;  whilst  Generals 
Johnston  and  Beauregard  commanded  the  centre,  General 
Bragg  the  right,  and  General  Polk  the  left  wing ;  and  General 
Breckin ridge  took  up  a  well-covered  position,  with  the  re 
serve  forces  under  his  orders.  General  Beauregard  now  or 
dered  Hardee's  columns  to  advance  to  the  attack,  which  was 
directed  chiefly  against  General  Prentiss's  troops,  stationed  be 
tween  Owl  and  Lick  Creeks. 

Our  men  charged  the  enemy  with  fixed  bayonets,  and 
gained  ground  at  once.  General  Johnston  sent  up  Trabues's 
brigade  in  support,  which  decided  the  fight  in  this  quarter ; 
General  Prentiss,  with  5,000  men  of  his  division,  being  com 
pelled  to  lay  down  their  arms,  and  these  were  sent  as  prison 
ers  to  the  rear.  This  was  not  a  bad  beginning  for  the  Con 
federates,  and  their  courage  rose  in  consequence. 

General  Grant,  seeing  that  Prentiss's  division  was  cut  up, 
and  that  our  men  had  occupied  that  officer's  positions,  imme 
diately  ordered  up  all  the  batteries  he  could  dispose  of,  and 


224  WAR    PICTURES. 

opened  a  tremendous  fire  of  grape  upon  the  Confederate 
troops.  In  vain  did  General  Johnston  endeavor  to  keep 
Hardee's  men  together:  the  enemy's  artillery  made  such  havoc 
in  their  ranks  that  they  broke  and  dispersed.  General  Beau- 
regard  then  ordered  his  centre  to  advance  to  the  attack,  whilst 
Johnston  hastened  to  support  Hardee  with  one  or  two  regi 
ments.  But  scarcely  had  Johnston  reached  Hardee's  lines 
when  a  rifle  bullet  struck  him,  and  he  fell  from  his  horse 
mortally  wounded. 

His  death  caused  a  momentary  panic  amongst  his  troops ; 
but  resolved  to  avenge  the  loss  of  their  beloved  general,  they 
rushed  upon  the  foe  with  such  energy  that  the  Federals  were 
driven  back  toward  their  gunboats,  the  commanders  of  which, 
on  perceiving  the  critical  state  of  affairs,  opened  a  heavy  fire  on 
our  men.  General  Grant  found  it  a  very  difficult  task  to  keep 
his  centre  unbroken ;  but  despite  the  repeated  attacks  of  Gen 
erals  Beauregard  and  Polk,  he  held  his  ground. 

The  enemy's  centre  was  in  a  very  critical  position,  for  if 
broken  through,  the  whole  Federal  army  wrould  have  been 
lost.  General  Grant  made  the  most  determined  resistance  to 
every  attack  we  made  upon  him,  and  endeavored  to  fall  back 
under  the  protection  of  the  guns  of  his  flotilla.  All  his  troops 
had  been  actively  engaged  since  five  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  no  fresh  troops  were  available,  as  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
Federal  reserve  had  been  ordered  up. 

The  loss  of  life  this  day  was  extremely  severe,  especially 
on  our  side ;  for  in  General  Johnston  we  lost  one  of  the  bra 
vest  and  most  talented  generals  of  the  Confederate  States.  He 
was  the  real  Commander-in-Chief — the  heart  and  soul  which 
gave  life  to  the  whole  army.  Whenever  he  was  present, 
officers  and  men  seemed  to  fight  better,  for  they  felt  that  his 
orders  were  all  for  the  best,  and  placed  implicit  confidence  in 
him.  Through  the  death  of  Johnston,  the  army  lost  its  main 
stay.  He  was  almost  the  only  general,  with  the  exception  of 
Beauregard,  who  was  not  teased  with  orders  from  Richmond, 


BATTLE   OF   SHILOH.  225 

and  who  was  allowed  to  exercise  his  own  judgment  as  re 
garded  his  plans  and  movements :  it  was  quite  evident  he  knew 
best  how  to  act.  By  his  death,  the  combined  armies  came 
under  the  sole  command  of  Beauregard  ;  and  although  the 
latter  had  many  warm  admirers  among  both  officers  and  men, 
he  did  not,  on  the  whole,  enjoy  that  full  confidence  of  the 
army  so  necessary  to  a  commander-in-chief. 

When  darkness  had  put  a  stop  to  all  further  operations 
for  the  day,  various  instances  of  negligence,  unpardonable  on 
the  part  of  a  general,  were  discovered.  The  men  had  been 
fighting  incessantly  the  whole  day  without  tasting  food,  and 
yet  nothing  had  been  provided  to  satisfy  their  hunger ;  nor 
could  the  different  divisions  procure  any  more  ammunition, 
although  this  was  known  to  have  been  on  the  road  since  the 
morning ;  but  it  had  not  reached  them  at  nine  in  the  evening, 
while  further  dispositions  had  been  taken  for  renewing  the 
attack  on  the  following  morning.  This  damped  the  spirits  of 
the  men,  and  made  them  feel  less  confident  in  success. 

At  the  very  commencement  of  the  battle,  General  Beaure 
gard  ought  to  have  taken  the  necessary  steps  to  prevent  such 
mistakes ;  but  when  General  Johnston  fell,  he  was  so  much 
occupied  with  the  duties  of  the  sole  command,  which  had  thus 
unhappily  devolved  upon  him,  that  he  forgot  to  attend  to 
what  he  ought  to  have  done  long  before. 

Whilst  the  troops  bivouacked  on  the  battle  field,  the  rain 
poured  down  in  torrents,  so  that  the  men  had  to  sit  in  so 
many  small  pools,  and  vainly  endeavored  to  keep  their  fire 
arms  dry.  The  officers  occasionally  consulted  together,  counted 
up  their  losses,  and  spoke  despondingly  of  the  awkward  posi 
tion  they  would  be  placed  in  if  General  Buell  should  succeed 
in  forming  a  junction  with  General  Grant.  The  night  thus 
passed  dismally  in  drenching  rain,  the  silence  being  only  in 
terrupted  occasionally  by  the  stray  report  of  a  musket  fired 
by  some  sentry. 

At  last  a  faint  gray  streak  of  light  in  the  far  horizon  an- 
10* 


226  WAR    PICTURES. 

nounced  that  day  was  beginning  to  dawn.  The  different  bri 
gades  and  divisions  at  once  commenced  taking  up  their  re 
spective  positions,  and  were  still  doing  so,  when  the  enemy's 
troops  opened  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  upon  us. 
Without  leaving  us  any  time  for  consideration,  General  Grant 
now  made  a  most  determined  attack  upon  our  centre  and  our 
left  wing.  The  attack  was  so  energetically  made,  that  the 
whole  of  our  line  began  to  waver.  Our  men  became  alarmed. 
The  enemy,  whom  they  had  almost  annihilated  the  day  before 
— whose  ranks  they  had  almost  decimated,  and  whom  they 
had  hoped  to  rout  completely  to-day — that  beaten,  defeated 
enemy,  now  reopened  the  battle.  But  the  Confederate  troops 
were  not  allowed  much  time  to  indulge  in  their  reflections  ; 
the  conquerors  of  Fort  Donelson  pushed  them  so  hard,  that 
it  was  all  they  could  do  to  hold  their  ground,  and  General 
Grant,  like  a  wounded  lion,  led  on  his  men,  who  all  seemed 
animated  by  one  feeling — the  desire  to  wipe  out  the  stain  of 
the  previous  day's  defeat.  The  battle  raged  with  actual 
ferocity  in  the  centre  and  on  the  leflgwing.  The  Federal 
troops  fought  desperately,  and  did  great  havoc  in  our  ranks, 
though  our  men  stood  their  ground  for  a  long  time  with  great 
bravery.  But,  lo !  a  Mississippi  regiment  begins  to  waver. 
In  vain  do  the  officers  exhort  the  men  to  remain  firm ;  they 
gradually  give  way.  General  Grant,  observing  the  disorder, 
directed  a  heavy  fire  upon  the  weak  point,  placed  himself  at 
the  head  of  some  Ohio  regiments,  and  cut  his  way  through 
our  broken  ranks.  In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  General  Bragg, 
who  opened  a  12-pounder  battery  upon  him,  he  maintained 
the  footing  he  had  gained,  and  his  men  held  their  ground. 
Like  corn  cut  down  by  the  sickle,  numbers  were  mowed 
down,  but  those  who  remained  unscathed  only  fought  with 
the  more  determination.  Two  brigades  now  advanced  to 
General  Grant's  support,  but  at  the  same  moment  Beaure- 
gard  made  his  appearance  with  the  reserve  cavalry  and  two 
batteries.  The  cavalry  was  ordered  to  charge  the  two  ad- 


SAD   ASPECT    OF   THE   FIELD.  227 

vancing  brigades,  but  before  they  could  come  to  close  quar 
ters  a  terrible  volley  from  the  enemy  brought  down  many 
from  their  saddles,  causing  great  confusion  in  their  ranks.  In 
a  few  moments  their  unhurt  comrades  charged  at  full  speed 
into  the  enemy's  battalions,  where  a  hand-to-hand  fight  ensued. 
Pistol  and  sabre  did  active  work.  Beauregard,  finding  that 
General  Grant  had  lost  the  expected  support  of  the  two 
brigades,  immediately  attacked  him  in  front,  and  compelled 
him,  after  a  most  fierce  and  sanguinary  struggle,  to  abandon 
the  position  he  had  acquired  at  so  much  loss.  Grant  fell  back 
in  good  order  with  the  remnant  of  his  fine  German  brigade — 
for  it  was  they  who  had  braved  the  storm  that  waged  round 
them — but  only  to  allow  his  men  a  short  respite. 

The  battle  field  presented  a  sad  spectacle,  for  the  loss  on 
both  sides  had  been  enormous.  No  preparation  had  been 
made  for  conveying  away  the  vast  number  of  wounded;  in- 
vain  did  these  implore  help  from  their  own  men — it  was  of 
no  avail ;  all  feeling  of  humanity  had  vanished,  and  the  living 
walked  unconcerned  past  the  dead  and  the  dying,  bent  only 
upon  dealing  more  destruction. 

General  Beauregard,  followed  by  his  staff,  now  galloped 
along  his  whole  line,  visiting  all  the  positions.  At  every 
point  the  fighting  had  been  most  severe,  and  the  reserves  had 
been  made  use  of  so  lavishly  during  the  battle,  that  now  that 
they  were  expressly  needed  there  were  none  at  hand.  Anxious 
and  perplexed,  he  directed  his  glances  around,  but  there  was 
now  not  much  time  for  consideration,  for  General  Buell  had 
succeeded  in  joining  General  Grant. 

The  enemy  again  took  the  offensive  in  great  force,  to  try 
and  wrestle  from  us  the  laurels  which  we  already  fancied  we 
had  won.  We  now  learnt  from  some  of  the  prisoners  that 
the  corps  d'armee  of  the  enemy,  under  Generals  Nelson, 
M'Cook,  and  Crittenden,  had  joined  General  Grant's  army. 
All  the  energies  of  the  enemy's  generals  were  now  directed 
to  one  object — to  force  Beauregard's  centre — so  as  to  regain 
the  positions  they  had  occupied  on  the  previous  day. 


228  WAR    PICTURES. 

In  fine  order  the  regiments  of  Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
and  Indiana  advanced  to  renew  the  battle,  and,  if  possible,  to 
bring  it  to  a  final  issue.  Our  men  stood  this  attack  with  un 
flinching  courage,  and  succeeded  in  driving  back  the  columns 
of  the  enemy,  who  fell  back,  terribly  cut  up,  but  trusting  by 
the  aid  of  their  supports  to  be  again  able  to  attack  us.  The 
Confederate  generals  now  earnestly  entreated  Beauregard  to 
relieve  them  by  reinforcements,  that  they  might  partially 
withdraw  their  exhausted  troops  from  the  fight,  as  most  of 
the  regiments  had  lost  their  staff  officers,  and  had  fired  away 
all  their  ammunition.  Beauregard  urged  them  to  hold  out 
for  one  hour  more  with  the  troops  they  had,  and  he  should 
then  be  able  to  send  them  reinforcements  and  ammunition. 
This  was  but  poor  comfort,  as  he  had  not  the  means  at  his 
disposal  to  keep  his  promise.  A  great  portion  of  his  reserve 
•was  already  actively  engaged,  and  the  remnant,  joined  by  a 
rabble  of  plunderers,  was  away  pillaging  the  enemy's  camp. 
Thousands  of  these  vagabonds  left  their  posts  to  make  what 
booty  they  could,  robbing  alike  friend  and  foe.  Beauregard, 
whose  personal  daring  and  bravery  is  beyond  challenge,  did 
not  possess  all  the  necessary  qualifications  for  a  commander- 
in-chief.  If  he  had  striven  to  collect  these  pillagers  he  could 
have  brought  them  up  to  the  support  of  his  centre  and  held 
his  ground  there,  even  if  his  flanks  were  driven  in.  The 
troops,  weakened  by  their  heavy  losses,  might  then  have 
formed  into  a  closer  and  more  compact  body,  without  dis 
turbing  their  plan  of  action. 

All  eyes  were  now  anxiously  turned  toward  the  centre, 
where,  for  some  minutes,  the  firing  on  our  side  had  ceased. 
Even  the  bravest  breathed  hard  when  he  saw  the  defenceless 
condition  of  our  men  at  this  point.  Fresh  columns  of  the 
enemy  now  advanced  to  the  attack.  With  loud  shouts  and 
cheers  these  Western  regiments  threw  themselves  upon  our 
decimated  ranks,  destitute  of  ammunition.  Our  men  firmly 
awaited  the  attack  and  the  volley  of  the  enemy's  columns 


EETEEAT  OF  THE  CONFEDERATES.         229 

without  being  able  to  respond  to  it.  "  Fix  bayonets  and  for 
ward  !  "  was  the  order  now  given  by  our  general.  It  was  the 
only  resource  left.  A  terrible  meUe  ensued.  General  Grant, 
seizing  the  opportune  moment,  ordered  his  small  body  of 
cavalry  to  charge  our  men,  who  were  fighting  with  their  side 
arms  only,  whilst  he  was  driving  our  left  and  right  flanks 
from  one  position  to  another.  Our  condition  was  a  desperate 
one,  when  General  Beauregard  ordered  the  whole  of  our  artil 
lery  to  take  up  position  near  Shiloh  Church,  to  cover  our  re 
treat.  General  Breckinridge  was  ordered,  also,  to  gather 
together  all  the  troops  he  could,  to  form  them  into  a  body  of 
reserve  to  cover  our  retreat.  About  noon  the  order  to  retire 
was  given,  and  the  movement  was  commenced  in  very  fair 
order.  It  was  difficult,  however,  to  induce  the  troops  engaged 
in  the  centre  to  leave  the  battle  field,  and  their  own  officers  had 
positively  to  compel  them  to  retreat.  At  last,  about  3  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  our  army,  after  having  suffered  immense 
loss,  was  in  full  retreat,  and  Generals  Grant  and  Buell  lost  no 
time  in  endeavoring  to  make  it  a  rout.  But  want  of  cavalry, 
and  the  excellent  position  taken  up  by  our  guns,  as  also  the 
fatigue  of  their  own  men,  compelled  them  to  be  satisfied  with 
what  they  had  already  achieved.  Our  troops  withdrew,  with 
much  exertion,  to  their  new  positions. 

Many  of  our  poor  fellows,  who  had  been  incessantly  en 
gaged  for  nearly  twenty  hours,  sank  on  the  ground,  utterly 
beaten  by  fatigue,  and  besmeared  with  blood,  gunpowder,  and 
dust.  The  loss  sustained  by  some  of  the  brigades  and  regi 
ments  appears  almost  incredible.  Some  regiments  were  so 
decimated  that  the  remnants  had  to  be  at  once  incorporated 
into  other  regiments. 

Our  greatest  loss  was,  however,  in  general  officers.  First 
on  the  list  stands  the  name  of  our  commander,  Albert  Sidney 
Johnston  :  as  we  have  already  stated,  he  fell  whilst  leading  his 
men  to  the  attack.  He  was  struck  in  the  leg  by  a  musket  ball. 
He  continued  to  give  some  instructions  to  his  aide-de-camp, 


230  WAR    PICTURES. 

Harris,  ex-Governor  of  Tennessee,  and  when  the  latter  return 
ed  from  executing  the  order,  he  found  the  General  sitting  like 
a  corpse  on  his  saddle.  "  In  Heaven's  name!"  exclaimed 
Harris,  "  I  hope  you  are  not  wounded."  "  I  believe  I  am 
dying,"  said  Johnston,  and  almost  at  the  same  moment  he  fell 
dead  from  his  horse.  The  next  name  on  this  black  list  is  that 
of  ex-Governor  Johnston,  of  Kentucky,  who  commanded  the 
troops  of  that  State.  He  was  struck  by  three  bullets  almost 
at  the  same  moment,  and  fell  to  the  ground.  Some  of  his 
officers  rushed  up  to  help  him,  but  he  ordered  them  back  to 
their  men,  and  to  leave  him  to  die  alone.  His  body  was 
found  subsequently,  after  a  long  search,  scarcely  recognizable, 
amongst  a  heap .  of  dead  and  wounded.  Brigadier-General 
Glodden  was  killed  with  his  horse  by  a  ball  from  a  rifled  gun. 
Major-General  Cheatham  received  a  mortal  wound,  after  hav 
ing  had  three  horses  previously  shot  under  him.  Major-General 
Clark  was  also  mortally  wounded.  Generals  Hindman,  B. 
R.  Johnston,  and  Bower  were  severely  wounded,  and  render 
ed  incapable  of  service  for  a  long  time  to  come.  So  great 
had  been  the  casualties  on  both  sides,  that  there  was  not  a 
house  within  ten  miles  round  but  was  full  of  wounded  sol 
diers.  Corinth  was  one  great  hospital,  and  straggling  wound 
ed  men  continued  daily  to  drop  in,  though  many  poor  fellows 
died  on  the  road.  To  add  to  all  this  misery,  the  weather  be 
came  fearfully  cold,  with  a  strong  north  wind  blowing,  which 
proved  the  death  of  many  a  poor,  wounded  soldier. 

Our  loss  in  men  in  this  memorable  battle  amounted, 
according  to  the  first  rough  return,  to  2,400  killed,  10,000 
wounded  (chiefly  severely),  and  2,000  to  3,000  missing,  mak 
ing  a  total  loss  of  nearly  15,000  men. 

Indeed,  the  fearful  slaughter  which  took  place  at  this  bat 
tle  entitles  it  to  a  marked  place  in  military  records,  for,  fear 
ful  as  was  our  loss,  that  of  the  enemy  was  as  great,  if  not 
still  greater.  These  sad  results  prove  incontestably  what  enor 
mous  sacrifices  *  powerful  people  is  capable  of  making,  when 


EESULTS  OP  THE  BATTLE.  231 

it  fancies  it  is  combating  for  its  rights  and  for  its  existence  as 
a  nation,  however  delusive  may  be  that  impression. 

The  troops  on  our  side  were  chiefly  from  the  States  of 
Mississippi,  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  and 
Arkansas.  Their  conduct  during  the  battle  places  them  on 
the  same  level  as  that  of  the  best  European  troops,  and, 
although  a  portion  of  the  reserve  did  neglect  its  duty,  and, 
instead  of  helping  their  comrades,  took  to  pillaging  the  ene 
my's  camp,  that  isolated  act  does  not  in  the  slightest  degree 
tarnish  the  blood-stained  laurels  earned  by  their  gallant  com 
rades  in  that  fine  army,  which  so  nobly  performed  its  duty 
toward  its  own  Government  that  it  earned  even  the  admira 
tion  of  the  enemy. 

It  is,  at  the  same  time,  but  just  to  pay  a  tribute  of  admi 
ration  to  the  troops  of  the  enemy's  army,  and  to  their  generals, 
Grant,  Buell,  Sherman,  Nelson,  and  others.  It  was  truly  no 
small  task  for  the  conqueror  of  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson 
to  have  to  sustain,  with  his  comparatively  small  army,  the 
Confederate  attack ;  and  it  was  a  critical  moment  for  him 
when  the  whole  of  Prentiss's  division  had,  despite  their  bra 
very,  to  lay  down  their  arms. 

After  this  sanguinary  two  days'  battle,  the  Federal  army, 
under  Generals  Grant  and  Buell,  after  their  hard-earned  vic 
tory,  greatly  needed  rest,  and,  consequently,  they  were  unable 
to  hinder  Beauregard  from  maintaining  his  position  at  Cor 
inth,  where,  being  unmolested,  he  set  to  work  to  reorganize 
his  army. 

If  this  battle  was  not  attended  by  any  great  results  to  the 
advantage  of  the  United  States,  the  consequences  were,  never 
theless,  important,  as  it  convinced  the  Confederate  troops  that 
their  opponents,  whether  in  Missouri  or  Virginia,  or  anywhere 
else,  were  foes  not  to  be  despised.  Another  consequence  of 
some  importance  to  the  enemy  was  that  they  got  possession 
of  the  western  frontier  of  the  States  of  Georgia  and  of  Alaba 
ma,  which  allowed  them  to  make  raids  as  far  as  Huntsville 


232  WAR    PICTURES. 

and  Decatur,  and  thus  enabled  them  to  parade  their  successes 
before  that  portion  of  the  Southern  States. 

General  Beauregard,  having  set  actively  to  work  at  Cor 
inth  to  reorganize  his  army,  was  most  ably  seconded  in  his 
efforts  by  his  aide-de-camp,  Colonel  Prince  de  Polignac.  The 
active  part  taken  by  this  latter  officer  on  the  day  of  the  battle, 
in  which  he  displayed  the  bravery  of  a  true  French  soldier, 
ought  to  have  procured  for  him  a  special  notice  in  Beauregard's 
report  to  President  Jefferson  Davis  :  why  it  was  not  done,  can 
only  be  attributed  to  an  aversion  to  render  justice  to  a  foreign 
er,  attributed  to  the  Southerners,  who  are  jealous  of  any  one 
else  sharing  their  own  glory. 

In  a  short  time  large  bodies  of  fresh  troops  joined  us  from 
the  more  distant  Southern  States.  The  troops  under  Charles 
Van  Dorn  excited  especial  attention.  They  had  hastened  up 
from  Arkansas  to  fight  for  the  cause  of  the  South.  Other 
troops  from  Missouri  followed,  under  General  Price,  their 
favorite  commander,  and  were  received  with  great  rejoicings. 
Thus  powerfully  reinforced,  General  Beauregard  soon  assem 
bled  another  fine  army,  with  the  help  of  which  he  hoped,  ere 
long,  to  try  once  more  his  fortune  in  the  field. 


STATE   OF  AFFAIRS  IN  RICHMOND.  238 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SURRENDER  OF    CAPE  HATTERAS. 

State  of  affairs  in  Richmond— High  price  of  provisions— General  "Winder- Desti 
tution  in  Richmond— The  blockade— Surrender  of  Fort  Hatteras. 

DURING  the  winter  of  1862,  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  displayed  the  greatest  activity.  It  had  increased  its 
fleet  to  such  an  extent  as  to  be  able  to  blockade  all  the  South 
ern  ports.  Whilst  the  Federal  troops  were  provided  with 
everything  which  they  required,  and  were  thus  enabled  to 
withstand  all  the  severities  of  the  winter,  our  troops,  on  the 
other  hand,  especially  the  army  on  the  Potomac,  began  to 
feel  the  inconvenient  effects  of  the  blockade.  All  those  ar 
ticles  which  the  soldier  so  much  needs  for  his  comfort  and 
health,  gradually  fell  short,  or  were  only  to  be  had  at  prices 
so  exorbitant  that  he  could  not  afford  to  procure  them.  The 
non-combatant  citizens  took  advantage  of  so  favorable  an  op 
portunity  to  turn  a  penny,  at  the  cost  of  the  defenders  of  their 
country,  and  at  Richmond  the  prices  of  provisions  rose  daily 
to  such  a  height  that  many  a  father  of  a  family  looked  forward 
with  great  anxiety  to  the  future.  More  particularly,  meat, 
vegetables,  butter,  and  lard  were  so  extremely  dear  that,  in 
the  hospitals,  it  became  necessary  to  place  the  sick  on  half 
rations.  The  Provost-Marshal  at  Richmond,  General  Winder, 
issued  a  regulation,  fixing  the  market  prices,  and  imposing  a 
heavy  fine  upon  all  who  exceeded  them.  Matters,  neverthe- 


234  WAK    PICTURES. 

less,  grew  rather  worse  than  better ;  the  farmers  preferred 
remaining  at  home  and  keeping  back  their  produce,  rather 
than  sell  it  at  a  scanty  profit ;  and  as  they  had  to  pay  fabulous 
prices  for  articles  needed  by  themselves,  such  as  tea,  sugar, 
ABC.,  the  Provost-Marshal  was  obliged  at  last  to  withdraw  his 
regulations,  and  so  the'  farmers  were  again  enabled  to  sell 
their  provisions  at  their  own  prices.  Every  other  article  of 
food  rose  in  proportion ;  tea  and  sugar  became  luxuries  out 
of  the  reach  of  the  majority  ;  instead  of  coffee,  burnt  rye  was 
used  ;  milk  rose  to  extravagant  prices,  as  it  was  most  wanted 
in  the  hospitals.  No  beer  was  allowed  to  be  brewed,  and 
what  little  remained  on  hand  could  not  be  obtained  except  by 
means  of  a  medical  certificate.  Sickness  prevailed  to  a  great 
extent  on  the  Potomac  as  well  as  in  the  interior  of  Virginia, 
and  thousands  of  invalid  soldiers  were  brought  to  Richmond 
to  receive  medical  aid  in  the  hospitals.  Here  again  great 
misery  was  occasioned  by  the  scarcity  of  medicines.  All  such 
stores  were  spoilt,  and  it  was  impossible  to  procure  a  further 
supply ;  thus  hundreds  died  continually  from  the  sheer  want 
of  proper  remedies. 

A  report  was  spread  at  this  time  that  a  Federal  squadron 
had  sailed  from  the  Northern  ports  for  the  purpose  of  attack 
ing  some  point  upon  our  coast,  and  in  a  few  days  we  received 
the  news  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Hatteras.  This  blow,  although  it 
did  not  fall  quite  unexpectedly  upon  us,  nevertheless  made  a 
deep  and  painful  impression  upon  the  people  of  Richmond,  as 
it  proved  to  them  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
was  not  only  resolved  to  maintain  a  vigorous  blockade,  but 
was  bent  on  gaming  a  footing  on  some  part  of  our  coast. 
The  Government  at  Richmond,  thereupon,  bestirred  itself, 
and  Mr.  Benjamin,  the  Secretary  of  War,  took  counsel  with 
Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen,  as  to  the  adoption  of  measures 
best  calculated  to  meet  the  emergencv. 


BOANOKE    ISLAND. 


235 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

OALIFOK.NIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

SURRENDER  OF  ROANOKE  ISLAND 

General  Wise  ordered  to  Roanoko  Island— General  Henningsen's  report,  to  tho 
Government— Neglect  shown  toward  "Wise's  legion— General  "Wise  proceeds 
to  Richmond — Interview  with  the  Secretary  of  War — Arrival  of  the  hostile 
fleet— Bombardment  of  Fort  Barton— Sinking  of  tho  Confederate  steamers 
Curlew  and  Forest— Abandonment  of  the  works— Death  of  Captain  Wise  and 
surrender  of  the  forts. 

As  already  observed  in  the  preceding  chapter,  a  squadron  of 
the  United  States  navy  had  succeeded  in  gaining  a  footing  at 
Fort  Hatteras,  thereby  securing  a  point  from  whence  further 
offensive  operations  could  be  carried  on  against  us.  Although 
we  were  kept  well  informed  by  our  agents  of  the  plans  of  the 
Federal  Government — which  afforded  us,  in  most  cases,  time 
to  concert  the  best  means  for  counteracting  them — yet,  we 
had  the  misfortune  to  possess  a  Secretary  of  War  quite  un 
fitted  to  hold  so  important  a  post.  Now  that  North  Carolina 
was  threatened,  and  it  became  necessary  to  take  the  most 
active  and  energetic  measures  to  oppose  the  enemy,  Mr.  Ben 
jamin  resolved  to  send  General  Wise  to  Koanoke  Island ; 
being  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  intrusting  to  the  general  a 
post  which  he  well  knew  was,  through  his  own  neglect,  in 
such  a  plight  as  to  afford  to  its  commandant  but  little  scope 
for  any  display  of  military  skill,  still  less  for  making  a  suc 
cessful  defence.  Both  the  Secretary  of  War  and  President 
Davis  were  not  sorry  thus  to  get  rid  of  Generals  Wise  and 


236  WAR    PICTUKES. 

Henningsen  ;  dreading  the  influence  of  those  officers,  especially 
of  the  former,  on  the  minds  of  the  people.  But  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  either  the  Secretary  of  War  or  the  Presi 
dent  desired  to  give  General  Wise  a  command  in  which  that 
distinguished  soldier  would  have  any  chance  of  success ;  well 
knowing  his  energetic  character,  they  were  convinced  that  if 
he  achieved  any  great  success  in  the  field  he  would  exercise 
an  irresistible  influence  over  the  whole  army.  The  other 
generals  of  the  Confederate  army  had  always  been  supplied, 
on  making  application,  with  whatever  number  of  guns,  horses, 
and  warlike  stores,  &c.  they  deemed  necessary ;  but  Wise's 
requisitions  on  such  points  were  never  heeded :  on  the  con 
trary,  the  heads  of  the  Government  seemed  bent  on  placing 
him  in  a  dilemma,  and  he  thus  found  himself  under  the  neces 
sity  of  making  good  the  negligence  of  the  officials  from  his 
own  resources.  The  same  course  of  conduct  was  adopted  to 
ward  General  Henningsen.  Instead  of  giving  him  an  im 
portant  command,  they  persisted  in  selecting  seme  favorite 
officer,  however  deficient  he  might  have  been  in  any  kind  of 
military  talent,  but  who,  in  the  estimation  of  the  heads  of  the 
Government,  was  deemed  a  far  more  valuable  man  if  he  hap 
pened  to  possess  personal  influence  in  the  South.  Henningsen 
was  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  a  stranger ;  and  it  was  feared 
that  his  upright,  manly  character  might  one  day  prove  an 
embarrassing  obstruction  to  the  Government  officials. 

General  Wise  was,  as  already  stated,  ordered  by  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  to  take  the  command  of  Roanoke  Island.  He 
was,  moreover,  to  increase  his  legion  to  the  strength  of  10,000 
men,  and  to  proceed  to  Albemarle  Sound,  and  after  taking 
possession  of  Roanoke  Island,  to  oppose  the  further  advance 
of  the  enemy.  General  Wise  was  assured  that  for  more 
than  six  months  Captain  Selden  of  the  engineers  had  been  ac 
tively  employed  in  placing  the  island  in  a  fit  state  of  defence, 
and  that  the  works  were  so  far  advanced  that  all  that  re 
mained  to  be  done  was  to  get  the  guns  into  position  ;  that  the 


ROANOKE    ISLAND.  237 

island  was  well  supplied  with  provisions,  and  that  he  would 
find  in  the  flotilla  of  the  Confederacy,  cruising  in  those  waters 
.under  the  orders  of  Commander  F.  Lynch,  a  powerful  auxil 
iary  to  prevent  any  further  advance  of  the  enemy.  Wise  and 
Henningsen  were  not  .the  men  to  hesitate ;  the  former  set  to 
work  at  once  to  organize  the  infantry,  whilst  Henningsen  took 

charge  of  the  artillery ;  and  Colonel  E had  the  cavalry 

placed  under  his  orders. 

General  Wise  and  his  associates  set  actively  to  work  to 
bring  the  legion  to  the  required  strength  of  10,000  men  ;  re 
cruiting  was  resorted  to,  but  they  had  scarcely  received  their 
instructions  when  their  difficulties  commenced.  Recruits  were 
not  forthcoming.  In  vain  did  General  Wise  solicit  the  Secre 
tary  of  War,  on  the  ground  that  the  interests  of  North  Caro 
lina  were  at  stake,  to  let  him  have  a  portion  of  the  troops 
then  encamped  by  thousands  near  Richmond,  that  he  might  be 
enabled  to  commence  his  march  without  delay,  so  as  not  to 
be  exposed  to  the  chances  of  a  battle  without  being  adequately 
prepared  for  such  a  contingency.  But  General  Wise  had  to 
deal  with  a  man  who  .jvas  determined  to  follow  his  own  views. 
The  Secretary  replied  to  his  earnest  solicitation  by  expressing 
his  sincere  regret  that  he  could  not  help  him  in  this  matter, 
even  had  it  been  in  his  power  to  do  so ;  the  President,  who 
exercised  great  control  over  the  War  Department,  having  al 
ready  decided  that  all  the  troops  assembled  at  Richmond  were 
to  serve  on  the  Potomac  and  Tennessee.  He,  therefore,  en 
treated  General  Wise  not  to  make  any  further  delay,  but  to 
assume  the  command  of  Roanoke  Island  at  once,  as  the  news 
had  been  received  that  another  hostile  expedition  was  in  prep 
aration  at  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  under  General  Burn- 
side,  the  object  of  which  was  the  capture  of  Roanoke  Island  ; 
that  if  the  enemy  succeeded  in  forcing  the  entrance  of  Albe- 
marle  Sound,  and  once  got  possession  of  the  granaries  of 
North  Carolina,  it  would  be  a  very  difficult  task  to  drive 
them  out  again.  To  dispel  any  further  doubts  on  the  part  of 


238  WAR    PICTURES. 

General  Wise,  the  Secretary  of  War  promised  him  that  in 
structions  should  be  sent  to  General  Huger,  at  Portsmouth, 
to  give  him  every  assistance  in  his  power..  These  various 
promises,  none  of  which  were  ever  fulfilled,  induced  General 
Wise  to  hasten  his  departure,  to  take  command  of  Roanoke 
Island.  Before  starting,  however,  he  held  a  sort  of  council  of 
war  at  his  headquarters  to  consider  the  condition  of  the  legion 
under  his  orders. 

At  this  conference,  General  Henningsen  stated  distinctly 
that,  owing  to  the  neglect  of  the  Secretary  of  War  during 
the  campaign  in  Virginia,  the  legion  was  wanting  in  nearly 
everything  which  it  required,  and  had  thereby  suffered  in  its 
organization  and  efficiency  so  much,  that  the  fruits  of  a  five 
months'  campaign  had  been  thrown  away ;  that,  even  now, 
though  we  had  been  six  weeks  in  camp  at  Richmond,  nothing 
had  been  done  for  the  equipment  of  the  troops  of  the  legion: 
the  batteries  were  still  unprovided  with  horses,  and  the  mus 
kets  of  the  infantry  scarcely  fit  for  use.  Whilst  the  War 
Department  paid  all  due  attention  to  the  wants  of  other  corps, 
by  providing  them  with  efficient  arms,  and  throwing  open  to 
them  all  the  resources  at  the  disposal  of  the  authorities,  the 
legion  had  been  totally  neglected  ;  and  the  Secretary  of  War 
had  made  it  a  point  of  always  giving  that  corps  the  most  dif 
ficult  wrork  to  do.  This,  indeed,  might  certainly  be  consid 
ered  as  an  honor,  and  would  be  eagerly  accepted,  if  the  legion 
could  be  satisfied  that  the  Government  appreciated  the  sacri 
fices  that  were  required  of  it ;  but  this,  unfortunately,  was 
not  the  case.  It  was  only  on  the  previous  day,  that  the  officer 
in  command  of  the  cavalry  had  informed  him  that  as  yet  no 
saddles  had  been  provided  by  the  store  department  for  the 
cavalry  of  Wise's  legion,  whilst  a  company  of  another  body 
of  horse,  which  had  only  just  arrived  at  Richmond,  was  at 
once  provided  with  them.  Therefore,  continued  General 
Henningsen,  he  was  of  the  opinion  that  before  undertaking 
the  task  committed  to  them,  they  should  carefully  consider 


WISE'S  LEGION.  239 

thfc  serious  consequences  which  might  result  to  the  legion,  and 
whic.'i  might  in  fact  draw  upon  it  the  disfavor  of  the  Govern 
ment.  He  then  proceeded  to  state  that  Captain  Bolton,  whom 
he  had  sent  to  inspect  the  condition  of  the  defensive  works  at 
Roanoke  Island,  had  sent  him  the  following  report : 

"  The  island  is  in  anything  but  a  satisfactory  state  of  de 
fence  ;  the  works  have  been  constructed  with  such  an  utter 
want  of  care  and  skill  that  they  will  scarcely  be  of  any  ser 
vice.  Of  the  twelve  batteries  which  are  put  down  upon  the 
list  furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  there  is  only  one  that 
can  be  regarded  as  serviceable ;  all  the  others  are  totally  use 
less.  Moreover,  the  roads  in  Portsmouth  are  in  such  a  bad 
condition  that  it  will  be  difficult  for  the  infantry  to  march 
along  them,  and  for  guns  and  wagons  they  are  quite  impracti 
cable." 

This  brief  and  clear  report  could  not  fail  to  cause  much 
anxiety  to  all  who  heard  it.  General  Henningse*  then  hav 
ing  issued  instructions  to  the  various  officers  on  whom  the 
duty  devolved,  to  exert  themselves  to  provide  for  the  prompt 
equipment  and  completion  of  the  batteries,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  cavalry  and  infantry,  left  the  meeting  still  engaged  in 
warm  debate. 

Before  the  departure  of  the  legion,  General  Wise  again 
made  requisition  on  the  Secretary  of  War,  but  in  vain.  Mr. 
Benjamin  was  not  the  man  to  be  overawed  ;  he  promised  the 
general  that  everything  that  was  possible  should  be  done,  and 
relying  on  this  assurance,  the  latter  was  at  last  induced  to 
make  final  preparations  to  proceed  to  his  post. 

The  first  regiment  of  the  legion,  under  Colonel  Richard 
son,  commenced  its  march,  followed  by  the  regiments  of  An 
derson,  Tyler,  and  Green ;  next  came  the  first  and  second 
cavalry  regiments  and  the  park  of  artillery,  the  latter  under 
the  personal  command  of  General  Henningsen.  The  weather 
was  execrable,  and  everything  held  out  the  prospect  of  a  very 
disagreeable  march.  The  columns  advanced  in  dogged  si- 


240  WAR    PICTUEES. 

lence,  for  the  men  were  laboring  under  an  impression  that 
they  were  being  sent  on  a  desperate  service,  in  which,  cut.  off 
from  all  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  army,  they 
would,  in  all  probability,  fall  a  prey  to  the  enemy.  At  Pe 
tersburg  a  mutinous  feeling  became  evident  amongst  the 
troops,  and  the  officer  in  command  found  it  necessary  to  have 
two  of  the  ringleaders  shot  as  an  example  to  the  others.  This 
act  of  strict  discipline  had  a  good  effect  upon  the  men,  and 
order  was  promptly  restored.  Notwithstanding  the  bad 
weather,  the  troops  marched  forward  at  a  good  pace,  very  few 
failing  through  fatigue.  But  on  reaching  Portsmouth  our 
miseries  commenced  in  good  earnest ;  General  Huger,  who 
was  in  command  at  that  place,  treated  our  officers  and  men 
with  a  sort  of  lofty  condescension  ;  he  seemed,  indeed,  to  look 
upon  the  whole  legion  as  men  beneath  his  notice.  The  troops 
were  allotted  the  most  miserable  quarters,  and  no  complaints 
or  representations  on  our  part  were  at  all  heeded  by  him. 
The  Secretary  of  War  had  given  a  solemn  assurance  to  Gene 
ral  Wise  that  he  had  sent  instructions  to  the  officer  in  com 
mand  at  Portsmouth  to  do  everything  he  possibly  could  to 
aid  the  legion ;  this  promise  was  shamefully  broken.  To  add 
to  the  general  annoyances  we  experienced,  General  Henning- 
sen,  who  had  been  led  to  expect  he  could  procure  horses  at 
Portsmouth  for  his  artillery,  found  his  hopes  deceived.  This 
rendered  his  artillery  almost  useless,  and  the  troops  had,  con 
sequently,  to  proceed  on  their  march  without  it. 

Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  then  held  another  confer 
ence,  which  led  to  the  following  results :  General  Wise  was 
to  take  command  of  all  the  infantry,  and  assume  the  com 
mand  of  Roanoke  Island  as  quickly  as  possible ;  the  defensive 
works  were  to  be  placed  under  the  superintendence  of  Captain 
Bolton,  of  the  engineers,  and  forthwith  put  in  a  proper  state; 
the  cavalry  was  to  take  up  cantonments  on  the  shore  of  Albe- 
marle  Sound ;  whilst  General  Henningsen  would  do  his  ut 
most  to  procure  every  requisite  that  was  needed  to  render  his 
artillery  efficient. 


WISE'S   LEGION.  241 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  conference,  the  Generals  separat 
ed,  and  at  the  moment  of  taking  leave,  General  Wise,  on  shaking 
his  worthy  associate  Henningsen  by  the  hand,  could  not  re 
frain  from  taking  a  foreboding  view  of  the  errand  on  which 
his  friend  was  about  to  start.  Smarting  as  he  was  under  the 
effects  of  the  broken  promise  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  turn 
ed  round  in  his  saddle,  to  bestow  a  look  of  ill-concealed  scorn, 
in  the  direction  of  Richmond — where  he  had  been  so  grossly 
misled — and  then  started  off,  little  suspecting  that  when  he 
and  Henningsen  should  meet  again  it  would  be  as  fugitives 
without  their  legion. 

Our  cavalry  now  advanced  under  great  difficulties  through 
swampy  ground  to  reach  its  intended  cantonments  on  the 
shores  of  Albemarle  Sound.  Wise,  meanwhile,  with  a  heavy 
heart,  pushed  forward  as  quickly  as  he  could,  that  no  want  of 
zeal  on  his  part  should  be  wanting  in  the  service  of  his  coun 
try.  Handing  over  the  command  of  his  troops  to  the  chief 
of  his  staff,  he  hastened  forward,  accompanied  by  two  or  three 
officers  only,  that  he  might  superintend  in  person  the  arrange 
ments  for  the  reception  of  his  troops,  and  also  assume  the 
command  of  the  whole  district.  Although  suffering  from  fever, 
occasioned  by  the  continued  annoyance  he  had  recently  expe 
rienced,  he  took  no  heed  of  his  physician's  advice  to  avoid  ex 
ertion,  but  performed  the  ordinary  duties  allotted  to  him  with 
an  energy  and  self-denial  that  deserved  a  better  reward.  On 
reaching  Elizabeth  City  that  night,  he  immediately  went  on 
board  a  small  war  steamer  lying  off  the  town,  and  was  con 
veyed  to  Roanoke  Island,  that  he  might  learn  from  the  officer 
in  command  the  exact  condition  of  the  fortress.  That  officer's 
report  was  most  unsatisfactory.  According  to  Mr.  Benjamin's 
representation,  defensive  works  had  been  under  preparation 
for  the  last  six  months  ;  the  truth  being  that  little  or  nothing 
had  been  done.  On  the  following  morning,  the  general  was 
on  horseback  by  daybreak ;  and,  accompanied  by  Captain 
Bolton,  he  made  a  survey  of  the  island. 
11 


242  WAR    PICTURES. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Roanoke  is  the  key  to  the 
northwest  portion  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina ;  it  com 
mands  Albemarle  Sound  as  well  as  Currituck,  and  is  the  only 
point  which  covers  Norfolk.  If  placed  in  a  proper  state  of 
defence,  it  is  able  to  command  no  less  than  eight  estuaries, 
four  canals,  and  two  railways ;  moreover,  it  serves  to  pro 
tect  the  richest  and  most  important  part  of  North  Carolina ; 
and  it  is  obvious  that  a  stronghold  of  such  value  ought  to  have 
been  specially  cared  for  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  Should  the 
island  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  enterprising  enemy,  General 
Huger,  in  command  of  the  troops  at  Portsmouth,  would  be 
inevitably  obliged  to  surrender  with  his  troops,  as  all  his 
means  of  retreat  would  be  cut  off,  and  we  should  be  obliged 
ourselves  to  destroy  our  own  ships  to  prevent  them  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  foe.  The  possession  of  Roanoke  Island 
would  give  the  enemy  everything  he  could  require  to  carry 
out  an  extensive  plan  of  operations,  and  thereby  cause  the 
greatest  danger  to  the  Confederacy ;  yet  the  Government  at 
Richmond  seemed  to  be  completely  ignorant  of  or  indifferent 
to  these  obvious  truths,  and  gave  no  attention  whatever  to  the 
means  for  rendering  this  important  place  secure.  Even  Gen 
eral  Huger  seemed  to  be  unaware  of  the  importance  of  his 
command,  and  made  no  preparations  to  meet  the  enemy,  al 
though  every  man  of  the  garrison  was  aware  that  the  destina 
tion  of  the  Federal  naval  and  military  forces  under  General 
Burnside  was  Roanoke  Island. 

General  Wise  set  to  work  with  the  most  determined 
energy.  On  the  east  side  of  Fuller  Shoals,  he  ordered  a  num 
ber  of  large  pallisades  to  be  planted  so  as  to  stretch  across 
from  the  shoals  to  the  island,  thus  closing  up  one  passage,  and 
ordered  a  new  post,  Fort  Barton,  to  be  constructed  in  such  a 
position  as  to  command  the  sound.  Commander  Lynch  placed 
a  small  flotilla  at  his  service,  and  promised  to  keep  him  ac 
curately  informed  by  his  cruisers  of  the  enemy's  movements. 
The  news  came  at  last  that  General  Burnside,  with  the  enemy's 


TREATMENT    OF   GENERAL   WISE.  24J3 

fleet,   had  sailed,  and  might  be  expected  shortly  in  Pamlicc 
Sound.     General  Wise,  upon  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  has 
tened  back  to  Richmond  in  person,  to  point  out  to  the  Govern 
ment  the  importance  of  firmly  holding  such  a  position  as  Roan- 
oke   Island,  and  urging  the  necessity  for  their  granting   the 
support  of  the  20,000  men  Avho  were  lying  idle  at  Portsmouth 
under  the  orders  of  General  Huger.     All  his  representations 
were  fruitless.     Mr.  Benjamin  desired  him  in  the  most  uncour- 
teous  terms  to  return  to  his  post,  adding  that  they  could  not 
spare  him  any  more  troops,  believing  as  they  did  that,  under 
an  able  general,  his  force  was  quite  strong  enough  to  repulse 
an  enemy  three  times  his  number.     This  unreasonable  way 
of  evading  so  urgent  an  appeal,  rendered  still  more  annoying 
by  the  ungracious  tone  in  which  it  was  conveyed,  greatly  irrL 
tated  General  Wise.     To  a  few  friends  he  confided  what  had 
taken  place,  and  he  must  then  have  called  to  mind  Henning- 
sen's  warning  words  at  the  Richmond  conference.     Gifted  by 
nature  with  an  iron  constitution,  even  that  gave  way  under  all 
the  repeated  annoyances  he  had   undergone.      On   reaching 
Elizabeth  City,  he  was  taken  seriously  ill,  and  desired  to  be 
conveyed  in  a  litter,  without  delay,  to  Nagg's  Head,  a  promon 
tory  opposite  to  Roanoke  Island,  that  he  might  be  near  his 
troops.     Here  he  was  seized  with  a  violent  fever.     A  climax 
to  his  sorrow  and  suffering  was  now  at  hand.     The  news  was 
brought  to  him  the  following  morning  that  Commander  Lynch 
had  received  the  information,  through  one  of  his  gunboats, 
that  the  enemy's  squadron  was  in  sight.     Commander  Lynch 
at  the  same  time  informed  him  that  he  would  engage  the  ene 
my,  so  as  to  keep  them  at  bay  as  long  as  possible.     To  appre 
ciate  the  general's  distress  of  mind,  it  should  be  remembered 
that  the  defensive  works  on  the  island  were  not  yet  half  finish 
ed.      The  garrison  of  the  fort  consisted  of  the  8th  and  31st 
regiments  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  one  battalion 
of  the  17th.     As  soon  as  General  Wise  received  information 
of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  he  ordered  up  the  two  regi- 


244  WAR  PICTURES. 

merits  of  Anderson  and  Richardson,  belonging  to  the  legion, 
and  as  he  was  incapable  of  assuming  the  direct  command  of 
the  place,  he  handed  it  over  to  Colonel  Shaw.  He  despatched 
one  of  the  war  steamers  immediately  to  Eden  ton,  where 
General  Henningsen  was  quartered  with  the  artillery  and  cav 
alry,  with  an  order  for  him  to  come  over  at  once  to  Roanoke 
Island,  to  take  the  chief  command.  But  before  this  order 
reached  Henningsen,  the  island  was  already  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1862,  the  United  States  squad 
ron  of  steamers  and  sailing  vessels  was  reported  in  sight,  and 
the  Confederate  flotilla,  under  Commander  Lynch,  sought 
shelter  under  the  guns  of  the  forts  on  the  island.  Lynch 
drew  up  his  little  fighting  squadron  in  line  of  battle  at  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor  to  meet  the  enemy.  It  was  a  dull, 
foggy  day.  A  small  steamer  sent  out  to  watch  the  move 
ments  of  the  Federal  ships,  now  came  back  at  full  speed, 
pursued  by  one  of  the  enemy's  gunboats.  A  48-pound  shot 
from  Barton's  battery,  athwart  the  gunboat's  deck,  warned 
the  commander  that  he  had  better  not  advance  any  farther. 
After  firing  a  few  shots  at  the  fort,  which  did  no  damage,  the 
gunboat  turned  back  and  rejoined  the  Federal  fleet.  Great 
activity  was  now  displayed  in  Barton's  battery,  and  more 
guns  were  brought  into  position.  About  noon  the  fog  partially 
cleared  off,  and  the  Federal  fleet  appeared  in  view.  Their 
ships  at  once  opened  fire,  which  was  briskly  returned  by  the 
fort.  Ere  long,  however,  two  of  Commander  Lynch's  ves 
sels,  the  Curlew  and  Forest,  were  sunk  by  the  enemy's  guns, 
which  disaster  induced  him  to  sail  away  with  his  remaining 
vessels,  and  leave  Roanoke  Island  to  its  fate.  During  the 
night  the  Confederates  worked  hard  to  improve  their  defences, 
and  to  bring  more  guns  into  position,  under  the  superintend 
ence  of  Major  Schermerhorn  and  Commanders  Kinney  and 
Selden.  It  was  impossible  to  convey  any  information  either 
to  Nagg's  Head  or  to  General  Henningsen,  as  the  enemy's 


FALL    OF   KOANOKE   ISLAND.  245 

cruisers  cut  off  all  means  of  communication.  At  daybreak 
next  morning  the  enemy  reopened  fire,  which  was  quickly 
responded  to  by  our  batteries.  Colonel  Shaw,  upon  whom 
the  command  had  devolved,  soon  became  convinced  that  the 
defence  was  hopeless.  He,  therefore,  ordered  the  guns  to  be 
spiked,  and  with  his  troops  withdrew  to  the  north  side  of  the 
island.  The  enemy  continued  to  pour  shot  and  shell  into 
Fort  Barton,  which,  in  less  than  two  hours,  became  a  total 
ruin.  Colonel  Shaw,  in  spite  of  the  entreaties  of  his  officers, 
resolved  to  surrender.  The  news  that  Captain  Wise,  son  of 
the  general,  had  been  killed,  confirmed  him  in  this  resolution, 
and  he  sent  one  of  his  aide-de-camps  to  stipulate  for  the  terms 
of  capitulation.  The  fort  was,  however,  surrendered  uncon 
ditionally  on  the  8th  February.  General  Wise's  grief  on 
receiving  the  news  of  the  surrender  of  the  fort  and  also  of 
the  death  of  his  son  can  be  more  easily  conceived  than  de 
scribed.  I  was  now  charged  with  despatches  to  Richmond,  to 
announce  the  surrender  of  Roanoke  Island  at  headquarters. 


246  WAR   PICTURES 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

GENERAL    WISE. 

Anxiety  at  Richmond,  consequent  on  the  surrender  of  Roanoke  Island — General 
Wise  claims  the  body  of  his  son— Great  grief  of  the  father— He  sends  to  Con 
gress  a  formal  accusation  against  the  Secretary  of  War  and  General  Huger— A 
Committee  appointed  by  Congress  adopts  his  views— Want  of  confidence  in 
the  Government— Burnside  releases  the  prisoners  of  war. 

GREAT  excitement  prevailed  at  Richmond  respecting  the  fate 
of  Roanoke  Island.  All  sorts  of  rumors  were  in  circulation. 
Every  one  knew  well  enough  that  the  island  had  been  sur 
rendered,  but  the  most  contradictor}''  statements  respecting 
the  defence  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth,  or  appeared  in  the 
newspapers.  It  was  reported,  for  instance,  that  a  great  battle 
had  taken  place ;  that  the  engagement  commenced  by  our 
small  squadron  under  Commander  Lynch,  who,  after  he  had 
succeeded  in  sinking  half  the  enemy's  fleet,  was  compelled  at 
last  to  yield  to  superior  numbers ;  and  that,  in  order  to  pre 
vent  his  own  ships  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands,  he  had 
blown  himself  up  in  the  air;  that  the  enemy,  provoked  at 
this  determined  resistance,  had  stormed  Roanoke  Island  and 
put  half  our  men  to  the  sword.  The  more  absurd  these 
statements  were,  the  more  eagerly  were  they  believed ;  and, 
as  the  greater  portion  of  Wise's  legion  consisted  of  men  from 
Richmond  and  its  vicinity,  the  excitement  in  the  town  was  the 
more  inteflse.  Notwithstanding  my  assurance  that  Colonel 
Shaw,  to  avoid  bloodshed,  had  capitulated — that  our  loss  con- 


FUNEKAL    OF   CAPTAIN   WISE. 


247 


sisted  of  only  eight  killed  and  thirty-one  wounded— no  one 
would  believe  me.  All  thought  it  far  more  probable  that  the 
slaughter  had  been  immense,  that  no  man  was  left  to  tell  the 
tale,&and  that  Richmond  would  have  to  go  into  general 

mourning. 

President  Jefferson  Davis  and  Mr.  Benjamin,  his  Secretary 
of  War,  held  long  conferences  together ;  the  subject  of  which 
was,  most  probably,  General  Wise  and  his  legion. 

I  received  an  order  from  General  Wise  to  join  him  at 
Portsmouth,  as  he  wished  me  to  apply  for  the  body  of  his 
son,  and  also  to  take  a  temporary  command.     Burnside  im 
mediately  complied  with  General  Wise's  request,  and  issued 
the  necessary  orders  to  give  up  the  body  of  the  captain  to  the 
brave  old  general.     In  a  small  inlet  of  the  bay,  on  board  a 
Federal   war  steamer,   the   coffin   containing   the  body  was 
brought  to  us.     The  officers  and  men  spoke  to  us  in  the  most 
friendly  terms,  and  informed  us  that  every  attention  had  been 
paid  to  Captain  Wise  until  he  breathed  his  last.     I  shook 
hands  with  the  officer  who  had  landed,  thanking  him  in  the 
general's  name.     He  took  a  courteous  leave  of  me,  and  his 
boat  was  soon  gliding  along  toward  his  steamer  with  measur 
ed  strokes.     I  stood  for  a  few  moments  on  the  shore,  watch 
ing  his  progress,  and  then  returned  in  a  mournful  mood  in 
charge   of  the   body  of  poor  Captain  Wise.     On   reaching 
Portsmouth  all  the  church  bells  tolled,  and  a  procession  was 
formed  by  the  numerous  friends  of  the  deceased.     At  the 
porch  of  the  church  we  made  a  halt,  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
General  Wise.     With  bowed  head  and  faltering  step,  the  old 
general  approached,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  another  of  his 
sons,  the  Rev.  —  Wise,  and  accompanied  also  by  his  son-in- 
law,  Dr.  Lyons.     Evincing  great  emotion,  he  went  up  to  the 
coffin,  and  ordered  the  lid  to  be  raised,  that  he  might  once 
more  behold  the  features  of  his  lamented  son.     The  brother 
and  brother-in-law  of  the  departed  could  no  longer  suppress 
their  grief,  and  burst  into  tears.     The  old  general  took  the 


248  WAR   PICTURES. 

dead  man's  hand  in  his  own,  and  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of  an. 
guish  which  startled  all  present :  "  You  have  died  for  me ; 
you  have  died  for  your  father !  "  And  large  tears  rolled  down 
his  cheeks.  "  He  died  for  me  !  he  died  for  me ! "  he  repeated 
in  broken  accents,  and  then  fell  insensible  to  the  ground. 

I  never  could  have  supposed  this  man  to  be  capable  of 
showing  so  much  feeling.  I  remembered  seeing  him,  some 
years  previously,  in  his  capacity  as  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Virginia,  sign  the  death  warrants  of  John  Brown  and  Cook 
with  a  firm  hand,  though  his  own  daughter,  on  her  knees  be 
fore  him,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  besought  him  to  pardon 
them ;  when  Cook's  brother-in-law,  formerly  Governor  of 
Indiana,  who  had  come  all  the  way  to  Richmond  to  intercede 
for  him,  pleaded  also  in  vain.  I  remember  it  well.  Wise 
took  out  his  cigar  case,  and  turning  to  me,  "  Do  you  smoke, 
Colonel  ? "  he  said ;  "  these  are  good  Havanas."  He  lit  one 
of  them,  and  then  addressing  the  suppliants,  said,  in  a  stern 
voice — "  This  man  has  forfeited  his  life  to  the  law,  and  the 
law  must  have  its  course."  And  now,  to  see  that  that  heart 
of  stone  could  melt,  to  see  that  giant  mind  prostrated  by  all 
that  it  had  undergone,  made  a  powerful  impression  upon  rne. 
More  dead  than  alive,  the  stricken  sire  was  taken  away  from 
the  coffin  of  his  son,  and  removed  in  a  carriage  to  Richmond. 

The  affair  of  Roanoke  Island  created  the  most  indescribable 
sensation,  not  only  in  the  city  of  Richmond  but  through  the 
whole  South.  The  people  began  to  feel  that  something  must 
be  wrong  at  headquarters,  and  a  strong  feeling  of  animosity 
grew  up  against  the  President,  and  his  confidential  advisers. 
For  two  days  the  effigy  of  a  black  coffin  with  a  rope  upon  the 
lid  might  be  seen  conspicuously  displayed  near  the  residence 
of  the  President,  bearing  a  very  ominous  inscription.  Despite 
all  the  efforts  of  the  police,  the  perpetrators  of  this  scurrility 
could  not  be  discovered.  It  was  decided  in  the  Senate  that  a 
special  committee  should  be  formed  to  inquire  into  all  the 


PKOTEST   OF   GENEKAL   WISE.  249 

circumstances  connected  with  the  attack  and  defence  of 
Roanoke  Island.  It  was  thought  that  this  was  due  to  the 
reputation  of  the  army.  Meantime  the  state  of  health  of 
General  Wise  was  so  precarious  that  the  news  of  his  death 
was  almost  hourly  expected.  But  his  strong  frame  enabled 
him  gradually  to  recover,  and  he  was  soon  well  enough  to 
make  an  official  report  on  all  that  had  occurred.  He  assem 
bled  his  staff  at  his  bedside  and  dictated  a  formal  protest 
against  the  conduct  of  the  President,  of  Mr.  Benjamin,  and 
of  General  Huger.  This  protest  was  couched  in  moderate 
but  firm  language,  but  contained  such  unanswerable  proofs  of 
the  failings  of  the  Government  that  even  the  obstinate  Secre 
tary  of  War  must  have  been  astounded  when  he  read  it. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  General  Wise  forwarded  a  formal 
accusation  to  the  Congress.  He  stated  that  he  had  willingly 
accepted  the  command  of  Roanoke  Island,  but  that  after  satis 
fying  himself  by  a  personal  inspection  of  the  defenceless  state 
it  was  in,  he  reported  to  that  effect  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
pointing  out  to  him  the  consequences  that  must  be  expected 
to  result,  as  the  island  was  the  key  to  the  whole  coast ;  and 
that  shortly  afterward  he  informed  the  Government  of  the, 
approach  of  a  hostile  squadron  consisting  of  twenty-four  ships, 
quite  capable  of  destroying  all  the  batteries  on  the  island 
within  twelve  hours,  with  the  distinct  avowal  that  the  garri 
son  was  not  in  sufficient  strength  to  withstand  the  enemy. 
This  report,  as  we  have  previously  shown,  had  been  treated 
with  contempt,  no  notice  having  been  taken  of  it,  and  his  per 
sonal  appeal  to  the  Secretary  of  War  had  met  with  no  better 
success,  although  at  that  interview  he  took  great  pains  to 
demonstrate  the  necessity  for  having  reinforcements  as  well 
as  supplies  of  ammunition  without  delay.  That,  in  short,  all 
his  efforts  .to  effect  his  object  had  been  fruitless;  while  an 
effectual  check  was  given  to  any  further  remonstrance  on  his 
part  uy  the  following  peremptory  order,  brought  to  him  by 
an  aide-de-camp  from  the  Secretary  of  War  : 
11* 


250  WAK    PICTURES. 

"OFFICE  OF  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 

"  January  22c?,  1862. 
"  General  Wise  is  ordered  to  proceed  at  once  to  his  post 

at  Roanoke  Island. 

"  JUDAH  P.  BENJAMIN, 

"  Secretary  of  War." 

General  Wise  concluded  by  stating,  that  in  pursuance  of 
this  order  he  left,  although  fully  convinced  he  had  been  sacri 
ficed.  The  result  we  have  already  shown. 

Such  was  the  purport  of  the  accusation  which  was  laid 
before  the  Congress,  and  that  body  immediately  ordered  the 
matter  to  be  referred  to  a  special  Committee  of  Inquiry. 
The  result  was  that  the  Secretary  of  War  was  made  responsi 
ble  for  the  defeat  of  the  Confederate  troops  at  Roanoke  Island, 
as  it  appeared  that  defeat  might  have  been  avoided  if  the 
representations  of  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  had  been 
attended  to. 

"  If  blame  attaches  to  any  one  (said  the  report  of  the  com 
mittee),  in  this  matter,  it  ought  to  fall  upon  the  Secretary  of 
War  and  General  Huger."  The  committee  further  proposed 
that  they  should  both  be  dismissed,  and  that  a  vote  of  thanks 
should  be  passed  to  Generals  Wise  and  Henningsen  for  their 
conduct. 

President  Jefferson  Davis  and  Mr.  Benjamin  had  little 
expected  such  a  result,  and  it  even  startled  the  public  mind 
not  a  little.  Confidence  in  the  measures  of  the  Government, 
was  already  on  the  wane.  The  President,  nevertheless,  pro 
moted  Mr.  Benjamin  to  the  post  of  Secretary  of  State  of  his 
Cabinet,  and  this  had  the  effect  of  still  more  weakening  the 
trust  of  the  people  in  the  Government. 

Fourteen  days  after  the  capitulation  of  Roanoke  Island, 
General  Burnside  released  all  the  prisoners  of  war  on  their 
taking  an  oath  not  to  serve  against  the  United  States. 


BATTLE   OF  NEWBERN.  251 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE    BATTLE    OF   NEWBERN. 

My  mission  to  Raleigh,  North  Carolina — Generals  Clark  and  Martin — General 
Branch  and  Colonel  Spreil — My  inspection  of  the  cavalry  at  Newbern — A  trap 
per's  adventures— Burneide' s  attack  of  Newbern— Conduct  of  the  cavalry- 
Railway  bridge  destroyed — Retreat  on  Raleigh — Dismissal  of  Generals  Branch 
and  Gattlin. 

As  soon  as  the  men  of  our  legion  had  arrived  at  Richmond,  I 
received  orders  to  proceed  to  Raleigh,  the  seat  of  the  Gov 
ernment  of  North  Carolina,  to  concert  measures  with  Gover 
nor  Clark  for  the  fortification  of  the  coast,  as  the  new  Secretary 
of  War  was  of  opinion  that  General  Burnside,  after  the  easy 
conquest  of  Roanoke  Island,  would  lose  no  time  in  attacking 
Beaufort  and  Newbern,  with  the  view  of  acquiring  possession 
of  the  whole  of  the  North  Carolina  line  of  coast. 

I  found  General  Clark  an  upright  soldier-like  man.  After 
listening  to  all  the  details  connected  with  the  surrender  of 
Roanoke  Island  he  sent  for  the  officer  in  command  of  the 
troops  in  North  Carolina.  That  officer,  a  gallant  veteran 
with  only  one  arm — having  lost  the  other  at  the  battle  of 
Matamoras,  in  Mexico — soon  after  made  his  appearance, 
when  the  Governor  requested  us  to  make  a  general  inspection 
of  the  coast.  After  I  had  taken  my  leave  of  the  Governor, 
General  Martin,  the  officer  above  alluded  to,  took  me  with 
him  to  his  headquarters  that  we  might  concert  together  fur 
ther  proceedings.  Here  I  was  introduced  to  his  aide-de-camp, 


252  WAR    PICTURES. 

a  Scotchman,  who  had  only  recently  joined  the  Confederate 
army.  We  formed  a  very  cheerful  party,  and  freely  dis 
cussed  the  general  state  of  affairs  in  America.  I  expressed 
the  hope  that  my  new  acquaintance  would  live  to  see  peace 
restored  on  that  continent — a  hope  that  was  never  fulfilled, 
for  he  fell  at  Baton  Rouge.  After  inspecting  the  coast  de 
fences,  General  Martin  directed  me  to  proceed  to  the  two 
most  important  points  of  defence  along  the  coast,  with  orders 
to  send  him  a  report  of  their  condition.  I  proceeded  forth 
with  to  Goldsborough,  which  commands  four  lines  of  railways. 
Here  I  was  introduced  to  General  Gattlin,  whose  manners  I 
found  anything  but  pleasing;  he  spoke,  too,  of  the  enemy 
with  contempt.  He  had  a  considerable  force  under  his  or 
ders,  but  the  state  of  his  troops  showed  a  great  want  of  disci 
pline.  From  Goldsborough  I  proceeded  to  Newborn,  at  the 
railway  station  of  which  place  I  was  met  by  the  commanding 
officers  of  the  cavalry  force  quartered  there,  and  I  then  pro 
ceeded  to  pay  my  respects  to  General  Branch,  the  chief  officer 
in  command. 

On  the  following  day  I  accompanied  the  general  and  his 
aide-de-camp  on  a  visit  of  inspection  to  the  forts  which  de 
fended  Newbern.  Colonel  Spreil,  the  aide-de-camp,  belonged 
to  the  2d  cavalry  regiment,  and  led  the  way  at  a  rattling  pace 
over  the  fine  railway  bridge  which  here  spans  the  river  Neuse, 
and  we  reached  the  forts  just  as  the  men  were  going  through 
their  drill.  Fort  Thompson,  which,  according  to  the  gene 
ral's  idea,  was  a  masterpiece  as  a  defensive  work,  mounted 
fifteen  64-pounders,  two  of  which  were  rifled.  The  officer  in 
command  of  the  battery  was  not  up  to  his  work,  but  felt  con 
vinced  that  if  the  enemy's  fleet  should  make  its  appearance, 
its  commander  would  very  soon  manage  to  establish  his  head 
quarters  at  Newbern.  Fort  Ellis  was  not  completed,  but 
nevertheless,  it  mounted  nine  guns,  also  64-pounders.  The 
works  were  carried  on  here  just  as  if  no  danger  was  appre 
hended.  The  commander  of  the  place  was  an  easy-going  sort 


A    DINNER   AT   CAMP.  253 

of  man,  smoking  his  pipe  by  his  fireside,  and  apparently  car 
ing  as  little  about  his  general  and  staff  as  he  did  about  Burn- 
side  and  his  fleet.  'This  man's  coolness  and  unconcern  were 
quite  astounding.  "  If  my  comrades,"  said  he,  "  should  really 
attempt  to  defend  the  place,  I  will  stand  by  them ;  should 
they  run  away,  I  am  not  far  from  the  bridge,  so  I  may  as 
well  smoke  my  pipe  quietly,  and  not  bother  myself  by  an 
ticipating  the  course  of  events." 

We  then  proceeded  to  Fort  Thompson,  where  we  found 
the  commandant  practising  his  men  at  the  guns.  My  as 
tonishment,  I  must  own,  was  aroused  at  the  precision  the  ar 
tillerymen  consistently  displayed  in  not  hitting  their  mark  ; 
and  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  if.  General  Burnside  had 
only  the  slightest  notion  of  how  matters  stood,  he  would  at 
once  make  sail  for  Newbern,  and  take  the  place  without  risk 
ing  the  loss  of  a  man. 

Exhausted  by  our  long  ride,  I  requested  General  Branch 
to  accompany  me  to  the  cavalry  encampment,  where  I  had 
been  invited  to  dine.  General  Branch  offered  his  arm  to  the 
colonel's  wife,  and  the  other  officers  followed.  As  long  as 
dinner  lasted,  which,  by  the  by,  was  a  very  good  one,  all  went 
on  smoothly ;  but  as  soon  as  the  champagne  went  round, 
every  man  present  was  eager  to  make  a  speech.  Americans, 
I  have  observed,  are  all  fond  of  displaying  their  oratorical 
powers  on  festive  occasions.  After  a  speech  of  some  half  an 
hour's  duration,  General  Branch  proposed  a  toast  in  honor  of 
the  Confederacy,  which  was  responded  to  in  a  speech  scarcely 
inferior  in  length,  by  the  colonel  of  the  2d  regiment  of  cavalry, 
in  the  course  of  which  he  dilated  in  glowing  terms  on  the 
matchless  gallantry  of  his  troops — their  prowess  being  such 
as  to  throw  the  deeds  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  into  the 
shade ;  according  to  him  the  whole  corps  was  ready  to  die, 
if  needful,  to  the  last  man.  I  need  not  add  that  this  speech 
was  received  with  tumultuous  applause.  "  Gentlemen,"  con 
cluded  the  gallant  colonel,  rising  from  his  seat,  "  let  us  make 


254  WAR    PICTURES. 

Newbern  a  second  Sebastopol — before  the  walls  of  which  tho 
enemy  must  perish !  "  Cheers  resounded  on  all  sides !  "  Yes ! 
Newbern  shall  be  a  second  Sebastopol ! "  General  Branch 
then  rose  and  made  another  speech,  and  stated  that  his  guest, 
Colonel  Estvan,  had,  with  10,000  men,  defended  Sebastopol 
against  all  the  combined  forces  of  England  and  France  !  The 
noise  increased.  Colonel  Spreil  was  again  on  his  legs,  and 
said  that  with  10,000  of  his  own  brave  fellows  he  would  have 
taken  Sebastopol  in  fourteen  days,  and  not  have  left  one  stone 
upon  another. 

I  was  now  called  upon  to  make  a  speech  in  reply.  "  My 
friends,"  said  I,  "  how  would  you  go  to  work  if  General 
Branch,  with  10,000  of  his  best  men,  undertook  the  defence 
of  Sebastopol,  and  Colonel  Spreil,  with  10,000  of  his  cav 
alry  attacked  it?  What  would  be  the  result1?"  They 
stared  with  astonishment  at  these  words,  and  I  sat  down, 
curious  to  see  how  they  would  solve  their  own  problem. 
Another  subject  was  then  broached,  but  I  soon  perceived  that 
I  had  lost  their  favor.  At  last  the  general  rose  to  depart, 
and  we  returned  to  Newbern  with  our  small  staff. 

On  the  following  day  I  visited  the  cavalry  encampment, 
to  inspect  the  two  regiments  there.  I  found  them  a  fine  body 
of  men,  but  as  regarded  their  weapons,  there  was  much  room 
for  improvement ;  a  great  portion  of  the  troopers  were  armed 
with  heavy  carbines  with  bayonets,  in  addition  to  a  sword  and 
revolver. 

When  on  horseback,  fully  accoutred,  one  of  these  men 
had  the  appearance  of  a  movable  arsenal ;  probably  the  colo 
nel  did  not  deem  himself  safe  unless  his  men  were  thus  armed 
to  the  teeth.  The  horses,  too,  were  in  a  very  bad  condition ; 
while  the  manoeuvring  was  indifferent,  and  the  men  seemed 
to  have  no  idea  of  sword  exercise,  each  man  using  his  weapon 
as  best  suited  his  own  notions.  So  I  returned  to  Raleigh 
aifything  but  satisfied  with  the  result  of  my  inspection.  Be 
fore  waiting  upon  the  Governor,  I  solicited  an  interview  with 


GENERAL   MAETIN.  255 

General  Martin,  and  was  received  by  him  with  a  bland  smile. 
"  Well,  Colonel,"  said  he,  "  what  do  you  think  of  the  troops  ? " 
"  If,"  I  replied,  "  they  can  fight  as  well  as  they  talk,  we  need 
not  be  under  the  slightest  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  our  coasts." 
"  You  are  right,"  he  replied ;  "  all  that  they  can  do  is  to  talk, 
and  that  I  fear  will  be  our  ruin.  If  General  Burnside  only 
knew  how  to  turn  his  recent  advantage  to  good  account,  he 
would  be  in  the  possession  of  our  whole  line  of  coast  within 
a  fortnight.  Look  here,"  he  continued,  as  he  spread  a  map 
on  the  table,  "  if  Newbern  and  Beaufort  are  taken,  Burnside 
will  push  on  to  Goldsborough  and  Weldon  by  a  flank  move 
ment,  which  will  place  our  main  roads  of  traffic  and  railways 
in  his  hands,  and  our  army  will  be  split  in  two.  His  fleet 
will  attack  Wilmington,  and  our  forts,  Caswell,  Smithville, 
an,d  Fisher,  under  Commander  Iverson,  will  have  to  surrender. 
All  these  gentlemen,  with  the  exception  of  Commander  Iver 
son,  who  formerly  served  in  the  United  States  army,  have  no 
idea  of  the  importance  of  the  posts  which  they  hold,  and,  be 
lieve  me,  it  is  a  most  difficult  task  to  make  them  aware  of 
their  duties.  Often  whole  companies  will  leave  a  battle  field 
with  their  commanders,  not  from  cowardice,  but  simply  be 
cause  they  fancy  they  have  had  enough  fighting  for  the  day, 
and  that  others  should  have  their  turn  also.  When  you  re 
turn  to  Richmond,  Colonel,  I  wish  you  would  seriously  repre 
sent  to  the  Government  the  necessity  that  exists  for  sending 
out  new  commanders  to  all  the  forts  along  the  coast,  as  well 
as  some  able  engineer  officers ;  the  cavalry  might  be  very 
well  spared  from  Newbern,  and  that  force  replaced  by  some 
efficient  battalions  of  infantry.  We  also  stand  in  need  of  a 
few  thousand  stand  of  arms.  If  this  is  not  done,  I  look  upon 
Newbern  as  lost,  and  Goldsborough,  Weldon,  and  Wilming 
ton,  also.  Having  frankly  given  you  my  opinion,  I  recom 
mend  you  now  to  pay  your  respects  to  Governor  Clark." 

After  taking  a  cordial  leave  of  the  general,  I  proceeded  to 
pay  the  Governor  a  visit.     He  happened  to  be  out,  but  I  ac- 


256  WAR    PICTUBES. 

cepted  the  invitation  of  his  secretary  to  take  a  stroll  with 
him  outside  the  town.  As  we  went  along,  this  amiable  old 
gentleman  also  opened  his  mind  to  me.  "  This  unfortunate 
war,"  he  said,  "  can  never  have  a  happy  termination ;  all 
revolutions  end  badly,  and  I  fear  this  will  be  the  case  with 
ours.  The  people  generally  have  never  been  consulted  by  the 
leaders  of  the  movement,  and  I  suspect  that  many  amongst 
them  are  simply  working  upon  the  minds  of  the  people  for 
their  own  ends.  I  grieve,  when  I  think  how  many  loyal 
Unionists  have  been  compelled  to  pretend  to  show  a  feeling 
of  sympathy  for  a  Government  which,  hitherto,  has  only 
brought  misery  upon  them." 

About  two  miles  outside  the  town,  we  met  a  tall,  impos 
ing  looking  man,  dressed  in  leathern  clothes,  with  moccasons 
on  his  feet.  Two  revolvers  and  a  bowie  knife  were  stuck  in 
his  belt,  together  with  a  tomahawk,  while  on  his  shoulder  he 
carried  a  rifle  of  unusual  length.  His  hair  and  beard  seemed 
quite  unacquainted  with  the  use  of  a  comb,  and  altogether,  his 
appearance  was  remarkable.  This  prairie  trapper  passed  by 
us  with  a  polite  "good  evening."  As  we  turned  round  to 
look  after  him,  with  some  curiosity,  he  suddenly  stopped, 
leaned  upon  his  rifle,  and  stared  hard  at  my  companion,  whose 
countenance  suddenly  betrayed  great  emotion.  "  Father ! 
father  !  "  exclaimed  the  trapper,  as  he  rushed  into  my  friend's 
arms  and  met  his  embrace.  Fourteen  years  previously  he 
had  left  his  home  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  far  West,  and 
since  then  no  tidings  had  been  heard  of  him.  After  the  father 
had  presented  to  me  in  due  form  the  son  whom  he  had  sup 
posed  dead  long  ago,  the  latter  related  his  adventures  to  us. 

He  had  been  to  Oregon,  where  he  tried  his  hancl  as  a  gold 
digger  and  hunter.  When  he  heard  of  the  civil  war  between 
the  North  and  South,  he  resolved  to  return  home ;  but  having 
no  money,  he  performed  the  journey  of  8,000  miles  on  foot, 
from  Oregon  to  North  Carolina,  over  mountains,  and  through 
forests  and  prairies ;  having,  on  his  venturous  journey,  en- 


APPROACH    OF   THE    ENEMY.  257 

• 

countered  wild  beasts  and  hostile  tribes ;  and  at  last,  on 
reaching  the  frontier  of  Missouri,  he  was  made  prisoner  by  a 
detachment  of  dragoons  under  Colonel  Sturgis,  but  who,  on 
hearing  his  story,  allowed  him  to  proceed  home  unmolested, 
influenced,  no  doubt,  by  the  reflection,  that  as  the  Almighty 
had,  in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  watched  over  the  safety  of  this 
man  in  his  perilous  journey  homeward,  it  was  not  for  man  to 
stop  him  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  object.  The  news  of  the  re 
turn  of  this  long-absent  wanderer  from  the  remote  region  of 
Oregon  on  foot,  spread  like  wildfire  through  the  town,  and 
the  whole  population  crowded  round  him  to  hear  his  adven 
tures.  He  did  not  remain  long  in  his  father's  house.  A  com 
mission  as  captain  in  a  regiment  of  infantry  was  granted  him, 
and  the  poor  fellow  was  shot  in  action  shortly  afterward, 
and  thus  his  ardent  wish  to  die  for  his  country  was  accom 
plished. 

On  my  return  to  Richmond,  I  delivered  my  despatches, 
but  was  soon  summoned  back  to  Raleigh.  On  my  arrival 
there,  I  was  informed  that  General  Burnside  had  already  col 
lected  his  fleet,  with  the  apparent  intention  of  attacking  New- 
bern.  I  started  accordingly  at  once  for  General  Branch's 
camp,  to  see  what  steps  he  had  taken  for  the  defence  of  the 
place.  At  Goldsborough  the  most  extraordinary  rumors 
were  in  circulation.  Thus  General  Burnside  was  said  to  have 
attacked  Beaufort,  and,  as  had  been  reported  after  the  surren 
der  of  Roanoke  Island,  had  put  the  garrison  to  the  sword, 
after  a  valiant  defence.  As  I  proceeded  on  my  way,  I  found 
the  excitement  had  increased.  At  Kingston  I  left  the  railway, 
and  procured  horses,  and  rode  on  as  fast  as  I  could,  accom 
panied  only  by  an  aide-de-camp. 

As  I  approached  Newbern,  the  distant  roar  of  cannon  be 
came  more  and  more  distinct.  Suddenly  a  number  of  horse 
men  galloped  past  me  in  full  flight,  and  amongst  them  I  fancied 
I.  could  discern  the  gallant  colonel  with  whom  I  had  dined  not 
long  ago.  He  gave  me  a  hurried  nod  and  passed  on.  On 


258  WAK    PICTURES. 

reaching  Newbern  I  did  my  best  to  rally  the  men,  and  so  fai 
succeeded,  that  they  sunk  one  of  the  enemy's  gunboats,  and 
blew  up  the  forts,  that  they  might  not  fall  into  hostile  hands, 
and  thereby  impede  the  movements  of  our  troops.  A  24- 
pound  gun  just  then  burst,  and  the  fragments  fell  amongst  my 
men,  who  forthwith  took  to  their  heels.  Newbern  I  found 
looking  bad  enough. 

General  Branch  had  secured  a  railway  carriage  for  him 
self,  and  started  off  inland.  Troops  without  their  officers 
passed  me  in  confusion,  and  throwing  away  their  arms,  rushed 
across"  the  bridge.  They  all  told  wonderful  stories  of  the 
feats  performed  by  their  respective  regiments.  According  to 
their  account  they  had  all  fought  like  so  many  devils,  but  the 
force  of  the  enemy  not  being  less  than  100,000  men,  they  had 
no  chance  against  them.  The  fact  is,  General  Branch  had  run 
away,  and  all  discipline  was  at  an  end.  I  crossed  the  bridge 
and  endeavored  to  restore  some  kind  of  order  amongst  the 
troops,  but  in  vain.  The  19th  regiment  of  infantry,  under 
Colonel  Burgwine,  now  came  up ;  I  asked  him  to  throw  out 
his  men  as  skirmishers,  in  order  to  protect  the  baggage,  and 
to  allow  time  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  guns.  The  colonel, 
who  was  a  brave  soldier,  acquiesced  in  my  request,  and  or 
dered  his  men  to  halt.  A  few  other  companies  joined,  and 
they  kept  up  so  well-sustained  a  fire  that  the  enemy's  advan 
cing  troops,  which,  on  the  flight  of  our  own,  had  pushed  too 
far  forward,  were  compelled  to  fall  back,  fancying  that  we  had 
received  reinforcements.  This  was  a  great  point  gained,  as  it 
enabled  us  to  save  our  valuable  baggage.  The  Federal  troops 
now  delivered  so  deadly  a  fire  that  our  troops  were  driven 
from  their  positions,  and  we  had  to  cross  the  bridge,  to  which 
we  set  fire  immediately  after,  in  order  to  prevent  its  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  In  a  few  moments  dense 
columns  of  smoke  denoted  that  this  work  of  destruction  was 
in  progress. 

Whilst  this  noble  bridge,  once  the  pride  of  the  people  of 


FRIGHT   AT   NEWBERN.  259 

North  Carolina,  was  thus  becoming  a  prey  to  the  flames,  the 
enemy  actually  stopped  firing  to  witness  the  grand  and  awful 
spectacle.  The  flames  rapidly  increased,  the  timbers  crackled, 
and  the  whole  structure  finally  fell  with  a  tremendous 
crash  into  the  river  below ;  and  then,  for  a  brief  interval,  all 
was  still  again.  The  enemy  presently  reopened  fire,  and 
drove  the  Confederate  troops  from  their  position  in  front  of 
the  town.  Inside  all  was  confusion.  The  inhabitants  endeav 
ored  to  save  themselves  and  their  chattels,  and  every  kind  of 
vehicle  serviceable  for  such  a  purpose  was  eagerly  laid  hold 
of.  In  vain  did  we  endeavor  to  persuade  the  scared  citizens 
that  General  Burns ide  was  an  honorable  enemy,  a  man  of 
humane  disposition,  and  that  there  was  no  reason  for  this 
precipitate  flight ;  it  was  all  in  vain.  As  the  last  train  start 
ed  the  enemy's  shot  reached  the  station,  but  fortunately  did 
no  damage.  The  Confederate  troops  rallied  at  Kingston. 
General  Branch  found  it  no  easy  task  to  reestablish  his  repu. 
tation  for  bravery.  General  Burnside,  apparently  satisfied 
with  the  advantages  he  had  so  easily  gained,  turned  his  atten 
tion  more  to  the  civil  administration  of  the  place  than  to 
military  measures.  Had  he  been  aware  of  the  disorganized 
state  our  army  was  in,  he  might  have  then  given  it  a  death, 
blow.  Had  he  taken  advantage  of  the  moral  defeat  which  we 
had  sustained,  he  could  have  easily  driven  us  out  of  both 
Kingston  and  Goldsborough,  and  have  caused  our  local  gov 
ernment  at  Raleigh  to  decamp ;  he  might  have  threatened 
Weldon  and  Wilmington,  and  no  doubt  many  inhabitants  of 
North  Carolina  would  have  greeted  his  arrival  among  them 
very  cordially.  As  it  happened,  however,  Burnside,  who  had 
us  really  in  his  power,  allowed  us  to  escape  with  only  a 
fright.  The  confusion  which  prevailed  at  Newbern  spread  to 
Raleigh,  for  as  soon  as  General  Gattlin,  who  was  at  Golds- 
borough,  heard  of  Branch's  retreat,  he  became  so  alarmed  that 
he  was  incapable  of  doing  anything.  General  Branch's  re 
peated  orders  to  join  him  with  all  the  troops  he  could  gather 


260  WAR    PICTURES. 

together  met  with  no  attention ;  his  officers  shielded  them 
selves  behind  the  general's  responsibility,  and  would  not  take 
orders  from  any  one  else.  The  managers  of  the  banks  at 
Raleigh  packed  up  their  cash  and  fled  toward  Charlotte,  as  it 
was  feared  the  enemy  might  soon  occupy  the  former  place. 
But  as  General  Burnside  desisted  from  any  further  onward 
movement,  the  Confederate  troops  were  allowed  time  to  re 
organize. 

On  these  events  becoming  known  at  Richmond,  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  ordered  Generals  Branch  and  Gattlin  to  resign 
their  commissions.  The  command  was  then  given  to  General 
Anderson ;  and  the  Confederate  Government  also  ordered  all 
the  disposable  troops  on  the  Potomac,  under  General  Ran 
som,  to  proceed  to  the  support  of  the  army  in  North  Caroli 
na.  Indeed,  the  Secretary  of  War  exerted  himself  to  the 
utmost  to  make  good  the  losses  suffered  by  the  Confederate 
forces  in  that  quarter  through  the  misconduct  and  incompe 
tence  of  their  commanders. 


MEBRIMAC   AND    MONITOR.  261 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 


Activity  in  the  dockyards  at  Portsmouth— Mysterious  naval  preparations— The 
Merrimao  completed— The  Confederate  squadron  steams  out  of  harbor— Speech 
of  Captain  Buchanan  to  the  crow  of  the  Merrimac— Position  of  the  enemy's 
squadron— The  Merrimac  first  attacks  the  Congress,  and  then  sinks  the  Cum 
berland—  Renewed  attack  on  the  Congress:  surrender  and  destruction  of  that 
ehip— Captain  Buchanan  wounded— Arrival  of  t.ho  Monitor— Action  between 
the  Monitor  and  the  Merrimac— The  Merrimac  returns  to  Norfolk. 

THE  Confederate  troops  had  left  their  positions  on  the  Poto 
mac  and  at  Manassas,  and  were  quickly  retreating  on  all  sides 
toward  Richmond,  in  order  to  make  that  capital  the  basis  of 
their  operations.  Only  Jackson's  corps  and  Swell's  division 
had  been  ordered  to  take  up  positions  in  the  Shenandoah 
Valley,  for  the  purpose  of  repelling  any  movements  which 
the  enemy  might  undertake  in  that  direction.  In  the  interval 
every  means  was  devised  to  convert  the  town  of  Richmond 
into  a  second  Sebastopol.  The  James  River  had  to  be  put  in 
such  a  state  of  defence  as  to  protect  the  capital  from  an  attack 
by  the  enemy's  fleet.  To  this  end  the  inspectors  and  superin 
tendents  of  the  dockyards  at  Portsmouth  displayed  the  great 
est  activity.  The  naval  establishments,  which  had  all  been 
repaired  and  rebuilt  since  their  demolition,  were,  consequent 
ly,  all  set  busily  to  work,  and  an  extraordinary  number  of 
hands  were  engaged  in  hastening  all  kinds  of  warlike  prepa 
rations.  The  dockyards  and  the  arsenals  were  also  put  in  a 


262  WAR    PICTURES. 

state  of  defence,  and  large  slabs  of  sheet  iron  from  Ander 
son's  foundery  were  brought  to  Portsmouth  for  the  casing  of 
ironclads.  The  people  were,  as  usual,  very  inquisitive,  but 
the  Government  kept  its  secrets  effectually  ;  so  much  so,  that 
the  public  only  acquired  information  in  a  general  kind  of  way, 
and  of  such  a  character  as  it  suited  the  Government  to  spread. 
Everybody  talked  of  the  ship  that  was  being  constructed  in 
the  dockyard,  and  which  was  to  be  cased  over  with  iron  of 
such  a  thickness  as  to  be  impenetrable  to  even  the  heaviest 
shot.  This  Was,  however,  not  fully  believed  in ;  it  was  rather 
construed  as  a  boastful  rumor  purposely  spread  by  the  naval 
authorities,  by  way  of  accounting  in  somewise  for  the  largo, 
sums  which  had  been  lavished  without  any  apparent  result. 

A  few  days  before  the  Merrimac  put  to  sea  there  was  a 
rumor  current  that  she  had  sunk  in  the  basin  of  the  dock 
yard,  and  no  little  discontent  was  manifested  by  a  portion  of 
the  public,  which  went  so  far  as  to  cause  a  demand  to  be  made 
upon  the  Government  for  the  removal  of  Mallory,  the  incom 
petent  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  as  he  was  held  to  be. 

In  the  meanwhile  Commodore  Tatnall  and  Captain  Bu 
chanan  daily  made  regular  inspections  throughout  the  dock 
yards.  At  length,  on  the  12th  May,  1862,  the  riddle  was 
solved,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  impatient  citizens ;  and 
the  Confederate  fleet,  consisting  of  the  ironclad  Merrimac, 
mounting  ten  heavy  68-poimders ;  the  corvette  Patrick  Henry, 
with  twelve  guns  (24  and  32-pounders) ;  the  steamer  Jamestown, 
mounting  two  guns,  and  the  gunboats  Leager,  Beaufort,  and 
Raleigh,  with  one  gun  each,  started  for  Hampton  Eoads.  Thou 
sands  of  spectators  had  assembled  to  witness  the  animating 
spectacle  of  a  naval  engagement  of  so  novel  a  kind,  and  it  was 
indeed  an  interesting  sight  to  see  the  little  Confederate  arma 
da  steaming  out. 

This  small  squadron  was  commanded  by  Captain  Bu 
chanan,  who  had  hoisted  his  flag  on  board  the  Merrimac ;  and 
before  starting  that  officer  harangued  his  officers  and  crew  in 
the  following  terms  : 


THE  FEDERAL  SQUADRON.  263 

"  We  are  now  about  to  see  the  faces  of  our  enemies ;  this 
honor  has  for  a  long  time  been  withheld  from  us,  and  granted 
only  to  the  land  forces.  This  day,  however,  we  shall  have 
that  gratification.  You  shall  see  your  enemies ;  and  I  pro 
mise  you  that  it  will  not  be  long  before  you  are  engaged  with 
them.  Remember  that  you  fight  for  your  rights  and 
for  your  country.  You  see  the  enemy's  ships  yonder.  You 
must  destroy  them.  I  do  not  say,  Will  you  do  it?  for  I  know 
you  will ! " 

This  curt  address  was  not  lost  on  the  men  ;  they  received 
it  with  loud  cheers,  and  even  those  who,  up  to  that  moment, 
may  have  felt  some  scruples  in  serving  on  board  such  an  iron 
prison  as  the  Merrimac,  plucked  up  in  spirit.  The  iron  mon 
ster  now  steamed  away  into  the  bay,  but  looked  withal  so  dark, 
ominous,  mysterious,  and  uncouth  a  structure,  that  it  seemed 
to  move  along  unnaturally  on  the  waters.  No  human  being, 
indeed,  was  to  be  seen  on  this  moving  fortress,  as  it  towered 
gloomily  over  the  little  flotilla  of  gunboats,  which  sought  the 
protection  of  its  formidable  armament.  The  thousands  who 
had  gathered  together  on  the  shores,  to  watch  the  progress  of 
the  Confederate  fleet,  looked  on  with  beating  hearts,  and  eyes 
anxiously  strained. 

The  formidable  ships  of  the  Federal  navy  were  anchored 
out  in  the  quiet  bay,  within  easy  distance,  their  pennants 
waving  gently  in  the  breeze.  The  Cumberland,  a  splendid 
frigate,  mounting  forty  guns,  was  in  advance,  and  to  the  right 
the  frigate  Congress,  whilst  a  little  further  back  the  stately 
Minnesota  rode  at  anchor,  surrounded  by  several  small  steam 
ers,  and  in  the  distant  horizon  appeared  the  numerous  masts 
of  merchant  vessels. 

The  enemy  now  began  hurriedly  to  signal  from  their 
mastheads,  which  certified  plainly  enough  to  our  crews  that 
their  approach  was  not  unexpected.  Presently  a  tremendous 
fire  was  opened  from  the  ports  of  the  Minnesota,  on  which  ship 
was  hoisted  a  flag,  as  a  signal  for  the  commencement  of  the  en- 


264  AVAR    PICTURES. 

gagement.  All  the  enemy's  small  craft  now  scrambled  under 
the  protection  of  her  guns  like  chickens  under  the  wings  of 
their  parent  bird,  seeking  shelter  in  the  direction  of  Fort 
Monroe. 

Great  activity  was  now  observable  on  board  the  enemy's 
two  frigates.  Their  ports  opened,  and  their  formidable  guns 
showed  their  angry  mouths  as  if  in  defiance  of  the  approach 
ing  foe.  As  soon  as  our  vessels  had  got  within  range,  all  the 
gunboats  kept  some  distance  astern,  and  the  Merrimac  passed 
on  steadily  by  herself.  As  soon  as  she  got  alongside  of  the 
Congress,  she  fired  a  broadside  into  her,  which  was  imme 
diately  replied  to  by  that  frigate,  and  by  all  the  land  batteries 
as  well,  but  with  literally  no  effect,  for  the  shot  glided  harm 
lessly  off  the  MerrimaJs  iron  sides  like  so  many  hailstones. 
Thus  unhurt,  she  steamed  toward  the  Cumberland  without 
taking  the  slightest  notice  of  the  fire  directed  upon  her  by  the 
unfortunate  ship  which  she  had  doomed  to  destruction. 
When  within  forty  yards  of  the  Cumberland  the  crew  of  the 
Merrimac  could  distinctly  hear  the  orders  that  were  given  on 
board  that  frigate,  and  the  remarks  made  by  her  crew,  "  What 
the  devil  is  this,  coming  ?  What  can  she  be  about  1 " 

The  commander  of  the  Merrimac  now  raked  the  Cumber 
land's  decks  with  an  enormous  cylinder  shell,  and  this  fearful 
missile  dealt  tremendous  havoc  amongst  her  crew.  The  Mer 
rimac  then  swept  round  in  a  half  circle,  running  her  pointed 
beak  straight  into  the  sides  of  the  Cumberland.  The  captain 
of  that  frigate,  meanwhile,  directed  a  heavy  fire  upon  the 
Merrimac  from  every  gun  which  could  be  brought  to  bear 
upon  her  at  such  close  quarters  ;  the  shots,  however,  glanced 
harmlessly  off  the  deck  and  sides  of  this  sea  monster,  which 
continued  its  course,  and  the  Merrimac1  s  sharp  point  was  soon 
buried  in  the  frigate's  stalwart  hull.  A  stunning  crash  is 
heard,  and  the  next  minute  the  magnificent  frigate  is  seen 
reeling  about  like  a  drunken  man.  Her  brave  captain,  un 
willing  to  yield,  continues  his  fire  in  spite  of  the  desperate 


MEEEIMAC   AND   CONGEESS.  265 

condition  of  his  ship.  Gradually  the  frigate  settles  down 
deeper  and  deeper  in  the  water,  and  the  waves  are  seen  pour 
ing  in  at  the  portholes ;  once  more  she  rises  and  vomits  forth 
fire  on  her  assailant,  and  then,  finally  heeling  over,  the  fine 
ship  sinks  to  rise  no  more,  carrying  a  large  number  of  her 
ill-fated  crew  along  with  her.  She  went  down  noiselessly — 
her  brave  crew  emulating  her  in  this  respect  by  meeting  their 
fate  without  uttering  a  cry.  For  a  few  moments  after  she 
sank,  the  waters  were  disturbed  where  she  had  but  so  lately 
been  riding  in  all  the  pride  of  conscious  strength,  and  then 
settled  calmly  over  her. 

The  destruction  of  this  splendid  ship,  with  so  many  of  her 
crew,  in  broad  daylight  and  the  calmest  weather,  in  the  midst 
of  this  beautiful  bay,  must  have  caused  a  panic  among  the  re 
mainder  of  the  enemy's  squadron.  Nevertheless,  the  Congress 
kept  her  ground,  and  prepared  to  defend  the  honor  of  her  flag 
against  the  redoubtable  ironclad.  The  Merrimac  now  steered 
straight  for  that  frigate  ;  but  her  career  was  presently  checked 
by  her  getting  into  shoal  water.  Her  captain,  judging  that  it 
would  be  impracticable  for  him  to  get  any  closer  to  the  Con 
gress,  then  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  that  ship.  Ere  long  the 
Merrimac's  projectiles  pierced  through  the  frigate's  wooden 
walls,  and  caused  such  destruction  on  board  that  her  com 
mander  was  obliged  to  strike  his  flag  and  surrender.  Captain 
Buchanan  then  ceased  firing,  and  signalled  the  gunboat  Beau 
fort,  ordering  Lieutenant  Parker,  her  commander,  to  go  on 
board  the  Congress  and  receive  her  flag,  and  to  bring  away  all 
the  officers  and  crew.  Captain  Smith  and  Lieutenant  Pren- 
dergast-of  the  Congress,  in  reply  to  this  latter  summons,  re- 
quested  permission  to  remain  on  board  their  ship,  in  order  to 
take  care  of  the  wounded,  which  was  readily  granted  by  Cap 
tain  Buchanan.  At  this  juncture,  however,  the  land  batteries 
most  injudiciously  again  opened  fire  upon  the  gunboat  Beau- 
fort,  and  although  no  casualty  ensued  therefrom,  Captain 
Buchanan  was  so  incensed  that  he  ordered  red-hot  shot  to  be 
12 


266  WAR    PICTURES. 

fired  into  the  Congress  to  effect  her  total  destruction.  Just 
about  this  time,  however,  he  was  struck  on  the  foot  by  a 
Minie  bullet,  and  was  obliged  to  hand  over  the  command  to 
his  first  lieutenant,  Jones,  to  whom  he  gave  stringent  orders 
to  sink  the  unfortunate  Congress.  The  lieutenant  executed 
this  command  to  the  letter,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of 
the  enemy's  frigate  Minnesota,  and  of  the  RoanoJce  and  Law 
rence,  to  assist  their  stricken  consort,  the  Congress  was  utterly 
destroyed. 

Meanwhile  a  feeling  of  prodigious  excitement  pervaded 
the  crowd  of  spectators  on  shore.  Two  of  the  enemy's  for 
midable  frigates  had  already  been  destroyed  by  our  iron 
scourge,  and  the  next  day  no  doubt  she  would  effect  the  demo 
lition  of  the  enemy's  remaining  ships.  Our  sanguine  people 
already  indulged  in  pleasant  anticipations  of  a  reopened  in 
tercourse  with  Europe.  So  certain,  indeed,  did  many  feel  at 
the  realization  of  their  hopes,  that  they  at  once  set  about 
taking  measures  for  the  opening  of  the  port  preparatory 
to  various  mercantile  speculations.  They  complacently  di 
lated,  too,  upon  the  consequences  that  might  be  expected  to 
ensue  from  the  triumphal  progress  of  the  Merrimac  to  Wash 
ington  ;  not  doubting  that  she  would  destroy  everything  in 
her  way  thither.  Probably  but  few  were  composed  enough 
to  sleep  that  night.  Thousands,  indeed,  encamped  on  the 
shores  of  the  bay,  eagerly  awaiting  the  dawn  of  day  and  the 
recommencement  of  the  naval  battle. 

The  day  broke  at  last,  and  discovered  an  enormous  as 
semblage  of  people  awaiting  the  coming  event  in  eager  ex 
pectation.  The  enemy's  frigates  JRoanoke  and  Lawrence  had 
sought  protection  under  the  guns  of  Fort  Monroe,  but  the 
colossal  frigate  Minnesota  still  lay  quietly  at  anchor  in  the 
bay.  Alongside  of  her,  however,  was  to  be  seen  a  curious 
little  craft  of  no  particular  form,  resembling  more  a  capsized 
whaler  than  anything  else.  By  and  by,  the  Merrimac  steamed 
out  into  the  bay  toward  her  antagonist,  amidst  the  vociferous 
cheers  of  the  thousands  collected  on  the  shores. 


DUEL    OF   THE   IRONCLADS.  267 

Captain  Buchanan  had  sent  his  gunboats  Jamestown  and 
Yorktown  ahead,  to  reconnoitre  the  strange-looking  little  craft. 
They  approached  her  with  the  utmost  caution,  and  as  they 
gradually  drew  near,  she  fired  two  shots  at  them  from  the 
enormous  guns  that  now  peeped  from  the  turret  on  her  deck, 
by  way  of  welcome  or  warning ;  they  received  the  compli 
ment  in  the  latter  sense,  and  hastily  retreated.  The  Merri- 
mac  ngw  put  on  full  steam,  and  bore  down  on  her  little  enemy 
with  the  object  of  running  her  beak  into  her  so  as  to  sink  her 
by  sheer  weight.  She  had  already  got  to  within  thirty  yards' 
distance,  and  was  preparing  for  the  fatal  thrust,  when  the 
Monitor  twisted  suddenly  round,  like  a  fish,  and  at  the  same 
moment  discharged  one  of  her  heavy  guns  point  blank  at  the 
Merrimac,  to  let  her  know  that  she  had  now  to  encounter  a 
foe  as  formidable  as  herself.  The  Merrimac  then  slowly 
ranged  alongside  her  diminutive  antagonist,  and  both  opened 
fire  with  ordnance  of  a  more  destructive  character  than  had 
ever  before  been  employed  in  naval  encounters  :  100  and 
120-pounder  Armstrong,  and  other  equally  powerful  guns, 
discharging  their  fire  at  a  distance  of  150  yards.  But  it  was 
to  little  purpose  ;  the  balls  glancing  off  equally  from  the  iron 
sides  of  both  ships. 

This  useless  cannonade  continued  for  more  than  two 
hours,  when  another  attempt  was  made  by  the  Merrimac  to 
run  down  her  enemy ;  but  the  Monitor  again  skilfully  avoided 
the  intended  shock,  and  managed,  moreover,  to  send  a  shell 
through  one  of  the  portholes  of  her  antagonist,  spreading 
death  and  destruction  among  the  crew.  The  Merrimac  now 
continued  her  fire  with  redoubled  fury ;  but  it  was  steadily 
replied  to ;  and  the  commander  of  the  Merrimac,  seeing  the 
impossibility  of  seriously  damaging  his  opponent,  at  last 
veered  round,  and  steamed  away  toward  Norfolk,  leaving  the 
Monitor  in  possession  of  the  waters  which  had  been  the  scene 
of  this  unparalleled  conflict. 

The  multitude  assembled  on  the  shores,  eagerly  watching 


268  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  progress  of  the  fight,  could  not  comprehend  how  it  was 
that  the  Merrimac  failed  to  destroy  the  insignificant-looking 
craft  that  had  dared  to  attack  her.  But,  when  they  ascer 
tained  the  real  state  of  the  case,  and  that  the  little  enemy  was 
also  one  of  those  wonderful  ironclads,  capable  of  disputing 
the  entrance  of  the  port  with  the  Merrimac,  they  were  ex 
ceedingly  wroth,  and  denounced  in  no  measured  terms,  not 
only  the  Merrimac,  but  the  Naval  Secretary,  by  whose  direc 
tions  she  had  been  constructed,  for  not  having  built  at  the 
same  time  a  couple  of  such  ships,  in  order  to  insure  the  open 
ing  of  the  harbor. 

It  happened,  however,  that  the  movements  of  M'Clellan's 
army  were  assuming  such  an  aspect  as  speedily  to  divert  the 
attention  of  these  politicians  to  other  and  no  less  important 
matters. 


M'CLELLAN'S  PLAN  OF  OPEKATIONS.  269 


CHAPTER    XXXVJ. 

DESTRUCTION    OF    THE 

M'Clellan's  ill-concealed  plan  of  operations  in  the  Peninsula — Preparations  on  both 
sides — M'Clellan  not  supported  by  the  Government — He  assembles  his  troops  at 
Fortress  Monroe— Alarm  at  Richmond— General  Huger  ordered  to  destroy  the 
fortifications  at  Portsmouth — Federal  troops  take  possession  of  Portsmouth — 
The  Merrimao  destined  for  New  York — Arrival  of  the  enemy's  ships — The 
Mcrrimac  ordered  to  be  blown  up. 

IT  was  no  longer  a  secret  to  the  Confederate  chief  that  it  was 
General  M'Clellan's  intention  to  transfer  his  operations  to  the 
Peninsula.  Large  forces  were,  accordingly,  ordered  to  pro 
ceed  there  forthwith,  and  instructions  sent  at  the  same  time 
to  General  Magruder  to  place  Yorktown,  as  well  as  Williams- 
burg,  in  such  a  state  of  defence  that,  if  threatened,  both  should 
be  able  to  stand  a  siege.  General  Magruder,  who  had  for  a 
long  time  held  a  command  on  the  Peninsula,  lost  no  time,  ac 
cordingly,  in  carrying  out  these  instructions,  and  he  soon  for 
tified  Yorktown  so  strongly,  that  it  was  in  a  condition  to 
stand  the  siege  of  a  large  army. 

General  M'Clellan,  who  had  been  greatly  annoyed  at  the 
defeat  of  the  Federal  army  at  Manassas,  must  have  been 
much  mortified  to  find  that  all  the  secret  plans  he  thought  he 
had  so  carefully  prepared  should  be,  as  they  now  were,  re 
vealed  through  some  underhand  agency.  No  sooner  was  his 
intended  scheme  of  operations  known  at  Washington,  than 'it 
was  communicated  by  means  of  active  espionage  to  the  Gov- 


270  WAR    PICTURES. 

crnment  at  Richmond,  where  the  necessary  steps  were  forth* 
with  taken  to  counteract  it.  As  our  generals  were  thus  pos 
sessed  long  beforehand  of  the  knowledge  of  M'Clellan's  in 
tentions,  they  were  enabled  to  prepare  for  every  contingency. 
Our  voluntary  abandonment  of  Manassas  must  have  caused 
no  small  astonishment  to  the  enemy.  If  the  secret  of  M'Clcl- 
lan's  comprehensive  plan  of  operations  had  not  oozed  out,  and 
if  the  Federal  Government  had  given  him  all  the  support  in 
their  power  needed  to  carry  out  that  plan,  and  had  placed  all 
the  disposable  troops  at  his  command,  its  success  would  have 
been  brilliant,  and  this  fratricidal  war  might,  probably,  have 
been  long  since  terminated. 

But,  as  I  have  already  said,  the  authorities  at  Washington 
acted  with  very  little  foresight,  and  they  still  continued  to 
display  the  same  want  of  common  sense  that  led  to  the  disas. 
ters  at  Bull  Run  and  Manassas.  By  this  mismanagement  on 
their  part,  M'Clellan  was  deprived  of  the  triumphs  which  he 
fancied  he  had  effectually  secured,  Now  that  the  general's 
plan  was  known  to  a  great  extent,  he  had  no  further  reason 
for  concealing  it,  and  he  proceeded  at  once  to  superintend  the 
embarcation  of  his  troops  with  all  his  habitual  zeal  and  en 
ergy.  As  he  was  prevented  from  making  use  of  the  direct 
communication  between  James  river  and  Richmond,  owing  to 
its  being  blockaded  by  the  Merrimac,  he  promptly  collected  a 
fleet  at  Alexandria,  and  by  its  aid  succeeded  in  conveying  his 
troops  to  Fortress  Monroe,  with  the  intention  of  advancing 
from  that  point  upon  Richmond  by  land.  The  Federal  Gov 
ernment  acted  as  if  it  really  wished  to  throw  every  possible 
obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  execution  of  a  plan  which  was  al 
ready  beset  with  difficulties.  Thus  it  deprived  the  general  of 
M'Dowell's  corps,  and  condemned  the  latter  to  inactivity  ;  a 
measure  which  at  a  subsequent  period  became  the  cause  of  a 
very  serious  misfortune  to  the  arms  of  the  Federal  Govern 
ment. 

At  last,  General  M'Clellan,  having  succeeded  in  assembling 


ALAKM    AT    RICHMOND.  271 

his  army  under  the  walls  of  Fortress  Monroe,  resolved  to 
push  on  by  the  shortest  road  with  the  greater  portion  of  his 
force  to  Yorktown — leaving  the  fleet  to  convey  the  remainder 
of  his  troops  up  the  York  river — in  order  to  cut  off  any  at 
tempt  at  retreat  on  the  part  of  the  Confederates. 

The  news  of  M'Clellan's  operations  in  the  Peninsula 
caused  the  greatest  consternation  throughout  the  South.  The 
confusion  which  prevailed,  at  Richmond  especially,  but  indeed 
all  through  the  Peninsula,  was  extreme;  and  although  the 
Confederate  Government  had  for  weeks  past  been  informed  of 
M'Clellan's  plans,  the  news  of  his  landing  at  Fortress  Monroe 
fell  upon  them  like  a  thunderbolt,  "and  the  most  contradictory 
orders  were  thereupon  issued.  The  dread  that  then  prevailed 
at  Richmond  must  be  ascribed  chiefly  to  the  conduct  of  Presi 
dent  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  wife,  who,  as  soon  as  intelligence 
of  the  advance  of  the  enemy  had  reached  them,  not  only  took 
every  precaution  to  place  their  family  in  safety,  but  despatched 
to  North  Carolina  all  the  valuable  property  at  Richmond 
which  had  been  placed  at  the  President's  disposal ;  such  as 
plate,  pictures,  works  of  art,  jewels,  &c.  Such  a  course  of 
proceeding  caused  much  unnecessary  alarm  to  the  good  citi 
zens  of  Richmond,  and  no  little  irritation.  So  complete  was 
the  removal  of  the  President's  effects,  that  it  was  said  that 
Mrs.  Jefferson  Davis  actually  ordered  all  the  curtains  to  be 
taken  down,  and  the  carpets  taken  up,  that  they  might  be 
packed  up  with  the  rest  of  the  furniture  of  the  presidential 
residence  for  removal  to  North  Carolina.  This  was  not  con 
sidered  a  becoming  example  of  the  firmness  and  magnanimity 
expected  from  the  elected  head  of  the  Confederacy  for  the 
purpose  of  encouraging  the  citizens.  The  effect  was,  as  may 
be  supposed,  to  bring  about  a  general  removal  from  the  town. 
Great  confusion  also  prevailed  at  the  various  public  offices ; 
the  Government  property  was  removed  to  North  Carolina, 
and  all  the  bank-note  presses  to  Columbus.  The  Secretaries 
of  War  and  the  Na.vy,  Randolph  and  Mallory,  proceeded  to 


272  WAR    PICTURES. 

Norfolk  and  Portsmouth ;  riot,  as  might  have  been  supposed, 
to  take  measures  for  saving  what  could  be  preserved  at  those 
important  naval  stations,  but  to  destroy  everything.  A  hu 
miliating  day  for  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy  was  now  at 
hand.  General  Huger  was  intrusted  with  the  disgraceful  task 
of  destroying  the  valuable  docks  and  Government  stores  at 
Portsmouth.  Although  there  were  no  less  than  30,000  excel 
lent  troops  in  and  around  Norfolk,  the  order  he  received  was 
fully  carried  out,  and  thus  the  docks  and  building  yards  be 
came  a  prey  to  the  flames.  General  Huger  proved  by  his 
zeal  in  performing  this  work  that  he  was  well  suited  for  it. 
Property  to  the  value  of  many  millions,  much  of  which  might 
have  been  saved,  was  destroyed  in  the  most  reckless  manner. 
Such  precipitation,  indeed,  was  displayed  in  the  process  of 
general  demolition,  that  the  fact  of  the  Merrimac's  lying  in 
the  bay  was  quite  overlooked.  As  soon  as  the  Secretary  of 
War  had  ordered  Huger  to  burn  the  dockyard  at  Ports 
mouth,  the  chief  of  the  naval  department  lost  no  time  in 
sending  orders  to  Captain  Tatnall,  who  commanded  the  Mer 
rimac,  to  send  all  the  smaller  vessels  to  Richmond,  and  then 
to  sail  with  the  Merrimac  toward  New  York,  to  destroy  all 
vessels  laden  with  corn  he  should  meet  with,  and  after  having 
performed  this  service  to  blow  up  the  Merrimac — his  instruc 
tions  appearing  to  imply  also  that  he  was  to  share  the  same  fate  ! 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  that  the  Confederate  ministers 
knew  how  to  issue  orders  on  a  grand  scale ;  but  it  was  a  much 
easier  task  to  burn  trading  vessels  than  to  oppose  a  foe  like 
M'Clellan.  The  Confederate  troops  conveyed  all  their  guns 
to  Suffolk  and  Petersburg.  The  flames  from  the  burning 
dockyards  at  Portsmouth  made  General  Wool,  in  command 
of  the  Federal  troops  at  Fortress  Monroe,  aware  of  the  retreat 
of  our  forces,  and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  take  immediate  posses 
sion  of  that  port  so  pusillanimously  abandoned,  which  might 
have  held  out  for  months  against  an  army  of  30,000  men. 

The  example  lately  sho\\n  by  the  commanders  and  crews 


FATE   OF   THE   MERRIMAC.  273 

of  the  Federal  frigates  Cumberland  and  Congress,  in  the  gal 
lant  but  hopeless  defence  of  their  ships  when  opposed  to  the 
Merrimac,  ought  surely  to  have  inspired  the  Confederate 
authorities  with  sufficient  resolution  to  make  some  attempt  to 
retain  their  hold  of  such  valuable  naval  stations  as  Ports 
mouth  and  Norfolk. 

Thus  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth  were  abandoned  or  demol 
ished  by  the  Confederate  troops,  while  outside  in  the  bay  lay 
the  victorious  Merrimac,  little  aware  of  the  sad  fate  that 
awaited  her.  Captain  Tatnall,  her  commander,  being  quite  at 
a  loss  how  to  obey  the  orders  he  had  received,  was  anxiously 
pacing  up  and  down  the  deck  of  his  ship.  To  attempt  to 
destroy  the  shipping  at  New  York  was  practicable  enough, 
but  to  blow  himself  up  in  the  air  to  please  Mr.  Mallory  was 
rather  too  much  to  be  expected  of  him  !  He  thought  it  ad 
visable,  under  the  circumstances,  to  hold  a  sort  of  council  of 
war  in  his  cabin,  when  he  put  the  following  questions  to  his 
officers : 

1.  "  Are  the  officers  of  the  Merrimac  ready  to  take  her  to 
New  York,  and  there  to  fulfil  the  orders  that  have  been  sent 
to  me  ?  " 

Reply:  "Yes." 

2.  "  Is  the  Merrimac  so  constructed  that  she  can  stand  the 
fire  of  all  the  batteries  of  Fortress  Monroe  ?  " 

Reply:  "No!" 

After  a  long  debate  it  was  finally  resolved  to  run  up  the 
James  River  to  assist  in  its  defence.  Captain  Tatnall  accord 
ingly  set  to  work,  and  during  the  night  everything  that  could 
be  spared  was  thrown  overboard ;  but  as  she  rose  some  eight 
feet  in  the  water  in  consequence,  she  could  no  longer  be  prop 
erly  called  an  ironclad,  for  her  hull  below  the  water  line  was 
unprotected,  and  she  was,  therefore,  no  match  for  the  Moni 
tor.  The  hostile  fleet  shortly  made  its  appearance  in  the  bay, 
and  Captain  Tatnall,  perceiving  the  hopeless  position  he  was 
in,  ordered  the  boats  to  be  lowered,  sent  his  crew  of  340  men 
12* 


274  WAR    PICTURES. 

on  shore,  and  ordered  the  Merrimac  to  be  set  on  fire  from 
stem  to  stern.  The  work  of  destruction  was  more  speedily 
completed  than  could  have  been  imagined.  Dense  volumes 
of  smoke  rushed  out  of  the  portholes.  Gun  after  gun  ex 
ploded,  and  in  a  short  time  that  famous  vessel,  a  striking  in 
stance  of  man's  constructive  power,  so  recently  the  conqueror 
of  two  formidable  frigates,  was  wrapped  in  one  mass  of  vivid 
flame.  Ere  long  a  fearful  explosion  announced  that  the 
flames  had  reached  the  powder  magazine,  and  so  terminated 
the  career  of  the  Merrimac. 


SIEGE   OF   YORKTOWN.  275 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

SIEGE    OF    YORKTOWN. 

M'Clellan  advances  on  Yorktown,  and  commences  the  siege— Abandonment  of 
that  city— Magruder's  retreat— M'Clellan  advances  against  Williamsburg— At 
tack  and  repulse  of  General  Hooker— He  is  supported  by  Kearny  and  Heint- 
zelman — Activity  of  Magruder — M'Clellan  sends  reinforcements — Hancock's 
successful  attacks— Desperate  exertions  of  General  Magruder— M'Clellan  comes 
up  and  drives  back  the  Confederates — Consternation  at  Williamsburg — Ma 
gruder  holds  out— General  Johnston  takes  the  chief  command— Retreat  on 
Richmond— A  cavalry  combat— Retreat  of  the  Confederates. 

GENERAL  M'CLELLAN,  in  spite  of  the  bad  condition  of  the 
roads,  continued  his  advance  on  Yorktown,  resolutely  over 
coming  every  obstacle  on  the  way,  and  thereby  inspiring  his 
troops  with  full  confidence  in  their  commander.  On  approach 
ing  that  place,  however,  he  found  that  the  Confederate  General 
Magruder  had,  by  using  the  utmost  exertion,  placed  that  city 
in  an  excellent  state  of  defence,  and  that  consequently  it 
would  be  necessary  for  him  to  lay  formal  siege  to  it.  The 
requisite  siege  works  were  then  commenced  under  great  diffi 
culties,  and  the  heavy  guns  brought  up.  It  is  only  those  well 
acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  country  who  can  fully 
estimate  the  difficulties  which  the  Federal  troops  had  to  over 
come. 

After  a  month's  hard  labor  the  batteries  were  so  near 
completion  that  the  guns  could  be  mounted.  During  all  this 
time  the  Federal  troops  had  to  sustain  a  continual  fire,  and  to 
bear  the  brunt  of  occasional  sorties  from  the  garrison.  Ma- 


276  WAR    PICTURES. 

gruder,  moreover,  had  assembled  a  force  at  Yorktown  strong 
enough  to  enable  him,  if  necessary,  to  take  the  open  field  and 
give  battle  to  the  enemy.  Whilst  thus  actively  at  work  and 
animated  by  a  feeling  of  confidence,  Magruder  received  an 
order  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  evacuate  Yorktown  as 
quietly  as  possible — leaving  all  his  guns  in  position — and  to 
fall  back  upon  the  second  line  of  defence  at  Williamsburg. 
This  unexpected  order  gave,  as  may  be  supposed,  the  greatest 
annoyance  to  Magruder,  who,  most  reluctantly,  issued  direc 
tions  for  the  retirement  of  his  troops.  To  conceal  this  move 
ment  from  the  enemy  he  ordered  all  the  guns  to  open  a  heavy 
fire  upon  the  besiegers,  and  at  the  same  time  sent  two  or 
three  regiments  to  make  a  demonstration  by  way  of  a  feint. 
As  soon  as  it  grew  dark,  Cullen's  brigade  commenced  the  re 
treat  as  noiselessly  as  possible,  on  the  road  toward  Williams- 
burg.  On  the  following  morning  two  other  brigades  followed 
in  the  same  manner.  By  the  3d  of  May  the  greater  portion 
of  the  troops  had  left  Yorktown,  only  three  regiments  of  in 
fantry  remaining  behind.  The  whole  of  the  cavalry  and  two 
batteries  of  horse  artillery  occupied  the  farthest  outworks- 
During  the  night  all  the  men  were  called  in,  and,  under  the 
personal  command  of  General  Magruder,  proceeded  on  their 
inarch  toward  Williamsburg,  the  cavalry  being  ordered  to 
remain  in  the  vicinity  of  Yorktown  to  watch  the  enemy's 
movements.  Our  retreat  was  effected  with  so  much  secresy, 
order,  and  silence,  that  even  the  outlying  pickets  of  the  enemy 
were  not  aware  of  it. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  the  evacuation  of  Yorktown  reach 
ed  General  M'Clellan's  headquarters,  he  ordered  the  cavalry 
under  General  Stoneman .  to  follow  in  pursuit ;  in  pursuance 
of  which  a  detachment  under  the  orders  of  a  daring  young 
officer,  whom  we  afterward  learned  was  the  Due  de  Chartres, 
rapidly  attacked  our  rear,  doing  us  considerable  mischief. 
After  a  few  of  these  cavalry  skirmishes,  the  Confederates 
finally  succeeded  in  reaching  the  lines  at  Williamsburg. 


DEFEAT    OF    HOOKER.  277 

From  the  quantity  of  military  stores  left  behind  us  at  York- 
town,  the  enemy's  general  must  have  been  no  little  amazed 
that  so  strong  a  force  should  have  abandoned  a  place  so  well 
supplied  with  war  materiel,  and  which,  moreover,  was  so  well 
fortified  as  to  be  capable  of  sustaining  a  long  siege. 

Without  loss  of  time,  M'Clellan  resumed  active  operations, 
and  advanced  with  his  whole  army.  General  Hooker  led  the 
van,  and  as  soon  as  he  reached  our  first  intrenchments,  he 
proceeded  to  attack  Williamsburg.  The  attack  was  so  de 
termined  that  Colonel  Miller,  of  the  Confederate  army,  was 
unable  to  hold  his  position,  and  his  troops  began  to  waver. 
General  Hooker  continued  the  attack  with  renewed  vigor,  and 
a  fierce  fight  ensued,  in  which  the  Confederates  had  the  worst 
of  it ;  but  Colonel  Cobb  coming  up  to  Miller's  support,  threw 
himself  upon  Hooker's  division,  and  brought  him  to  a  stand 
still.  Anderson's  brigade  shortly  afterward  made  its  appear 
ance,  and  fell  upon  Hooker's  right  flank ;  thus,  this  officer, 
although  his  troops  behaved  well,  was  compelled  to  give  up 
his  vantage  ground  and  fall  back.  The  numerical  superiority 
of  the  Confederates  told  seriously  against  Hooker,  who  was 
compelled  to  retire  with  a  loss  of  1,700  men  and  some  guns. 
The  roads  were  in  such  a  dreadful  state,  that  the  artillery  and 
ammunition  vans  could  scarcely  move  along.  General  Hook 
er,  who  is  an  able  soldier,  did  his  best  to  save  his  fine  divis 
ion,  but  Cobb  was  not  inclined  to  let  him  off  easily,  and 
compelled  him  to  retreat,  fighting  step  by  step. 

Hooker's  position  became  every  minute  more  critical  and 
desperate.  His  daring  had  imprudently  led  him  into  an  en 
gagement  which  he  might  have  avoided,  but  he  was  too  high 
spirited  and  too  niuch  excited  now  to  acknowledge  it.  It 
was  only  when  he  found  out  the  mistake  he  had  made  that  he 
had  not  to  deal  with  Cobb's  brigade  alone,  but  with  a  whole 
corps  cTarmee,  that  he  sent  to  General  M'Clellan  for  support. 

The  general  acceded  to  his  urgent  request,  and  immediate 
ly  ordered  up  Kearny's  division  to  his  aid.  He  could  not 


278  WAR    PICTURES. 

have  sent  a  better  man.  Kearny  was  of  that  chivalrous 
character  so  often  to  be  met  with  in  the  French  army.  He 
had  lost  an  arm  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  he  afterward  joined  the 
French  army  as  a  volunteer  aide-de-camp  in  the  Italian  cam 
paign,  greatly  distinguishing  himself  at  Solferino  and  Magen 
ta.  Kearny  brought  up  his  men  at  the  double  quick  to  support 
Hooker,  although  the  execrable  state  of  the  roads  somewhat 
retarded  him,  but  he  eventually  reached  the  hard-pressed  divi 
sion.  It  was  a  fine  sight  to  see  Kearny  lead  on  his  men, 
eager  for  the  fight  as  they  were.  He  seemed  to  be  ubiqui 
tous  ;  now  leading  on  his  centre,  now  ordering  up  a  battery ; 
in  another  moment  charging  at  the  head  of  his  troops ;  his 
striking,  manly  form  was  prominent,  wherever  the  fight  was 
thickest,  setting  a  noble  example  to  his  soldiers.  The  opposing 
troops  were  soon  intermingled  in  a  regular  melee,  and  both 
sides  fought  desperately.  Owing  to  the  state  of  the  ground, 
our  cavalry  was  not  serviceable,  much  to  the  regret  of  its 
officers ;  it  was  also  very  difficult  for  the  artillery  to  ma 
noeuvre.  The  struggle,  which  had  commenced  at  the  verge 
of  a  wood,  was  gradually  drawn  into  the  forest  itself,  and 
here,  under  the  crackling  branches  of  venerable  trees,  amidst 
the  roar  of  the  artillery,  many  desperate  hand-to-hand  en 
counters  took  place,  such  as  have  seldom  been  witnessed  in 
other  wars.  There  was  something  so  wild  and  terrible  in  the 
aspect  of  this  strife,  that  those  who  survived  that  day's  fight 
look  back  upon  it  with  a  shudder. 

General  Magruder,  meanwhile,  continued  to  order  up 
fresh  troops,  and  in  a  few  hours  he  had  so  mauled  Hooker's 
division,  that  it  was  reduced  to  little  more  than  a  fragment ; 
Heintzelman  and  Kearny  also  suffered  heavy  losses.  The 
goddess  of  victory  already  held  the  balance  in  our  favor, 
when  General  M'CleHan  pushed  forward  some  fresh  brigades 
along  a  dam,  with  a  view  of  taking  possession  of  the  works  on 
our  left  flank,  hoping  thereby  to  redeem  the  fortunes  of  the 
flay.  General  Magruder,  who  had  betimes  discovered  the 


ADVANCE   OF   M'CLELLAN.  279 

enemy's  intention,  forthwith  brought  up  the  reserve,  which 
consisted  of  General  Pickett's  body  guard,  in  support  of  the 
works  in  question.  In  a  twinkling  they  galloped  across  the 
plain  which  separated  them  from  the  works,  and  reached 
them  just  as  the  Federal  troops,  under  General  Hancock, 
were  advancing  to  storm  the  post.  General  Pickett,  joined 
by  a  regiment  stationed  there,  now  furiously  attacked  the 
Federals,  and  a  most  desperate  struggle  ensued.  "  Bull  Kun  ! 
Bull  Run ! "  shouted  our  men,  as  a  sort  of  battle  cry.  The 
Federals  replied  by  pouring  a  fearful  volley  into  our  ranks. 
The  carnage  was  terrific,  compelling  our  men  to  fall  back, 
when  General  Hancock  followed  in  close  pursuit.  General 
Magruder  then  ordered  up  the  2d  and  *9th  cavalry  regiments 
to  charge  the  enemy.  But  this  was  of  no  avail ;  the  ground 
had  been  so  soaked  with  rain  that  the  horses  sank  up  to  their 
knees.  Suddenly  a  shout  of  a  thousand  voices  broke  upon 
the  ear  like  the  rushing  of  a  mighty  wind  from  the  wood. 
What  did  this  portend  ?  There  was  little  time  left  for  us  to 
speculate.  Charge  after  charge  was  made  upon  our  men,  and 
the  news  then  spread  that  General  M'Clellan,  with  the  main 
body  of  his  army,  had  arrived  on  the  field  of  battle.  This 
explained  the  loud  cheers  from  the  wood.  Our  men  could  no 
longer  stand  their  ground.  M'Clellan,  in  person,  led  on  his 
troops  into  the  midst  of  the  fire.  Magruder,  now  finding  that 
the  battle  was  lost,  ordered  a  retreat  to  be  sounded,  and  di 
rected  Hill's  division,  which  had  just  come  up,  to  cover  the 
movement.  All  the  wounded,  and  a  great  portion  of  the 
baggage,  were  left  in  the  enemy's  hands.  The  shades  of  night 
put  an  end  to  the  fight ;  a  heavy  rain,  too,  began  to  fall,  and 
these  circumstances  fortunately  prevented  the  enemy  from 
completely  overwhelming  us.  Tired  and  worn  out,  our  troops 
returned  to  Williamsburg,  where  the  excitement  had  become 
intense. 

It  was  now  resolved  to  abandon  "Williamsburg,  and  to  fall 
back  on  Richmond,  much  against  the  will  of  General  Magru* 


280  WAR  PICTURES. 

der,  who  had  seen  the  fortifications  of  the  town  growing  grad 
ually  under  his  own  inspection,  and  he  had  great  confidence  in 
their  strength.  But  the  dread  of  the  energetic  M'Clellan  pre 
vailed  at  this  juncture. 

General  Johnston  having  now  arrived,  he  was  intrusted 
by  the  Confederate  Government  with  the  chief  command  of 
the  army.  He  at  once  ordered  the  retreat  to  commence, 
although  Magruder  insisted  that  he  could  still  hold  Williams- 
burg  against  the  enemy.  But  the  Federal  General  Keyes  had 
already  taken  up  a  position  between  Williamsburg  and  Rich 
mond,  a  manoeuvre  which  allowed  us  no  time  to  hesitate,  as 
he  not  only  menaced  the  retreating  troops  from  Williams- 
burg,  but  threatened  the  safety  of  Richmond  itself.  General 
Magruder  consequently  made  the  necessary  dispositions  to 
rejoin  the  main  body  of  the  army  at  Richmond.  Hill's  divis 
ion  was  ordered  to  hold  Williamsburg  until  the  retreating 
army  had  at  least  twelve  miles'  start,  and,  with  the  cavalry 
and  Cobb's  legion,  to  cover  the  retreat.  When  the  sun  rose 
blood  red  on  the  following  morning  the  streets  of  Williams 
burg  were  deserted  by  the  troops,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
patrols  of  cavalry  with  drawn  swords  and  revolvers  in  hand. 
Some  anxious-looking  citizens  or  wounded  soldiers  might  oc 
casionally  be  seen,  but  every  house  and  shop  was  closed. 
Our  cavalry,  charged  with  the  duty  of  covering  the  retreat, 
drew  up  in  excellent  order,  in  double  line,  to  await  the  enemy ; 
and  in  a  few  moments  pistol  shots  announced  the  approach  of 
the  foe.  Small  bodies  of  Federal  cavalry  dashed  into  the 
town,  but  on  reaching  the  outskirts  they  found  our  troopers 
drawn  up,  ready  for  action,  and  immediately  galloped  back. 
In  a  short  time  the  advancing  tramp  of  a  large  body  of  horse 
became  distinctly  audible.  We  drew  our  swords,  looked  to 
our  revolvers,  and  prepared  for  the  expected  fight.  The  very 
horses  seemed  to  be  aware  of  what  was  coming,  and  pawed 
and  neighed  and  chafed  continually.  A  squadron  of  lancers 
first  made  its  appearance,  and  the  remainder  of  the  enemy's 


TKEATMENT   OF   THE   WOUNDED.  281 

cavalry  soon  followed.  The  word  of  command  was  now 
issued  on  both  sides,  and  the  hostile  squadrons  met  in  deadly 
combat.  For  a  long  time  victory  remained  undecided.  The 
clashing  of  swords  and  the  report  of  revolvers,  intermixed 
with  words  of  command,  was  all  that  was  heard.  Our  men 
now  gained  a  decided  advantage,  when  a  column  of  the  enemy's 
infantry  darted  out  of  the  wood  in  order  to  cut  off  our  retreat. 
General  Hill  ordered  a  cavalry  regiment  of  Cobb's  legion  to 
charge  them  and  drive  them  back  into  the  woods.  The  com 
mander  of  the  regiment,  Young,  carried  out  this  order  in  ad 
mirable  style,  and  by  a  brilliant  charge  drove  back  the  infan 
try  into  the  thicket.  He  had  scarcely  achieved  this,  when 
another  column  of  the  enemy's  infantry  made  its  appearance 
on  the  other  side,  and  poured  a  volley  of  bullets  into  our  vic 
torious  ranks.  Surrounded  on  all  sides,  General  Hill  now 
ordered  a  retreat.  The  trumpets  sounded,  and  our  men,  turn 
ing  round,  cut  their  way  back  through  the  enemy,  with  some 
further  loss. 

General  M'Clellan,  satisfied  with  the  day's  results,  ordered 
no  pursuit  to  be  made,  as  his  troops  stood  in  need  of  rest, 
and,  besides,  the  poor,  wounded  fellows  on  both  sides,  who  lay 
in  numbers  on  the  roadside,  had  to  be  attended  to.  His  hu 
mane  conduct  on  this  occasion  not  only  earned  for  him  the  re 
spect  of  his  own  troops,  but  the  esteem  of  our  officers,  which 
they  did  not  hesitate  loudly  to  express.  M'Clellan  had 
achieved  a  great  success.  He  had  driven  our  troops  out  of 
two  of  their  strongest  fortified  positions,  and  by  the  sanguin 
ary  battle  at  Williamsburg  had  considerably  shaken  the  con« 
fidence  of  our  men. 


282  WAR   PICTURES. 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

BATTLE    OF    FAIR    OAKS. 

Disorganized  state  of  the  Confederate  forces— The  army  reinforced  by  General 
Lee — Selfish  conduct  attributed  to  Government  officials  and  others — Mutual 
recriminations— Movements  of  the  Federals  against  Richmond— Pestilence 
spreads  amongst  the  Confederate  troops— General  Johnston  determines  to 
attack  the  Federal  army— Battle  of  Fair  Oaks  described— Defeat  of  the  Con 
federate  forces. 

ON  our  troops  reaching  Richmond  after  their  retreat,  they 
were  there  joined  by  reinforcements  organized  for  the  pur 
pose  by  General  Lee,  which  needful  aid  inspired  them  with 
renewed  hope  and  courage.  The  poor  fellows  were,  however, 
so  worn  out  by  forced  marches  and  by  the  constant  pursuit 
of  the  enemy,  as  well  as  from  inefficient  arrangements  for 
their  comfort,  that  they  looked  more  like  spectres  than  living 
men.  The  roads,  the  means  of  transport — in  short,  every 
thing  they  had  to  depend  on  in  such  an  emergency,  were  in 
such  a  wretched  condition  that  even  the  stoutest  hearts  de 
spaired  of  a  happy  termination  to  the  toilsome  sufferings  and 
privations  brought  about  by  this  unfortunate  war. 

It  was  surely  enough  to  dispirit  them  at  such  a  moment  to 
have  good  ground  for  believing  that  some  of  the  chief  men  at 
the  helm  were  more  intent  on  the  attainment  of  their  own 
ambitious  ends  than  on  attending  to  the  sufferings  and  press 
ing  wants  of  the  army.  Nor  were  the  representatives  of  the 
people  free  from  a  similar  imputation ;  many  amongst  these 


HUMANITY    OF    GENERAL   M<CLELLAN.  283 

legislators  were,  at  all  events,  not  above  huckstering  about  the 
price  of  their  not  very  irksome  labor.  I  do  not  intend,  how 
ever,  that  all  should  be  included  in  this  censure :  there  were, 
undoubtedly,  to  be  found  in  that  body  men  of  sound  patriotic 
views — men  who  were  eager  to  do  their  best  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  the  common  cause.  But  these  certainly  constitu 
ted  a  minority,  and  their  influence  was  altogether  insufficient  to 
check  the  growing  tendency  to  self-aggrandizement  at  the  seat 
of  government. 

On  the  arrival  of  our  disorganized  and  dispirited  army  at 
Richmond,  General  Lee,  who  had  made  himself  well  acquaint 
ed  with  its  condition,  immediately  set  about  remedying  the 
evils  resulting  from  its  recent  defeat.  I  was  directed  to  occu 
py,  with  my  regiment,  the  farthest  outpost,  and  there  to  keep  a 
good  lookout  upon  the  advancing  enemy,  with  strict  orders  to 
remain  on  the  defensive,  and  carefully  to  avoid  all  unneces 
sary  collision  with  our  foe.  I  had  scarcely  returned  from 
visiting  my  outlying  pickets,  when  a  flag  of  truce  from  the 
Federal  forces  was  announced.  I  rode  down  the  road,  and 
met  a  young  officer  who  had  come,  on  the  part  of  General 
M'Clellan,  to  request  that  we  would  send  medical  men  to  look 
after  our  numerous  wounded,  as  his  own  medical  staff  was 
insufficient  to  undertake  the  duty.  This  humane  act  proves 
incontestably  the  commiseration  felt  by  M'Clellan  for  the 
wounded  of  his  enemy,  and  prompted  me  to  despatch  forth 
with  one  of  my  officers  to  General  Johnston's  headquarters, 
with  my  urgent  recommendation  that  General  M'Clellan's 
suggestions  should  be  acted  upon,  and  that  a  sufficient  number 
of  surgeons  should  be  promptly  ordered  to  proceed  to  Wil- 
liamsburg  on  this  duty.  The  humanity  displayed  by  the 
general  commanding  the  enemy's  forces  created  a  feeling  of 
warm  admiration  among  our  troops,  great  numbers  of  whom 
had  near  relatives  among  the  wounded  we  had  been  compelled 
to  leave  behind  in  the  dense  woods  and  sickly  swamps,  and 
who  were  out  of  the  reach  of  any  succor  from  us. 


284  WAR    PICTURES. 

In  noticing  this  conduct  of  General  M'Clellan  I  cannot 
refrain  from  remarking  that  both  our  officials  and  our  news 
papers  had  all  along  been  holding  forth  about  the  cruelty  with 
which  the  enemy  treated  the  prisoners  in  their  hands  :  charges 
entitled,  most  likely,  to  about  as  much  credit  as  those  at 
tributing  to  some  of  our  officers  the  atrocity  of  throwing 
torpedoes  into  the  wells  when  we  evacuated  the  towns. 

It  has  seemed  strange  to  some  amongst  the  numerous  ene 
mies  of  M'Clellan  in  the  United  States,  that  I  and  others 
serving  with  the  Confederate  army  should  entertain  so  great  a 
respect  for  him,  and  be  so  candid  as  to  freely  express  it. 
That  esteem,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  rests  on  the  knowledge 
I  have  had  many  opportunities  of  acquiring  of  his  straightfor 
ward,  soldierly  conduct,  and  especially  of  his  humane  endeav 
ors  to  protect  the  enemy's  property,  and  his  care  for  the  wel 
fare  of  the  wounded  and  other  prisoners  who  fell  into  his 
hands. 

To  return,  however,  to  my  narrative.  A  number  of  med 
ical  officers  were,  in  pursuance  of  my  recommendation,  sent 
off  to  Williamsburg,  under  an  escort  of  the  enemy's  troops. 

M'Clellan,  having  about  this  time  proceeded  with  his 
forces  up  the  York  Eiver,  in  order  to  join  General  Keyes' 
troops,  that  had  disembarked  at  West  Point,  with  the  object 
of  forming  plans  and  commencing  the  necessary  operations 
for  the  siege  of  Richmond,  we  had  ample  time  to  reorganize 
our  scattered  forces,  and  to  bring  up  fresh  troops  from  other 
Southern  States.  The  States  of  North  and  South  Carolina 
were  cleared  of  almost  all  their  forces,  for  now  all  eyes  were 
directed  to  Richmond,  at  which  place  it  was  believed  the 
drama  would  be  played  out. 

The  enemy,  however,  as  well  as  ourselves  needed  rest,  for 
his  forces  had  greatly  suffered  from  bad  weather  and  its  con 
comitant  sickness.  Meanwhile,  M'Clellan  continued  his  works 
for  the  siege  of  Richmond,  taking  his  preliminary  measures 
with  great  circumspection.  North  and  South  were  now  fair. 


PESTILENCE    AT    RICHMOND.  285 

ly  face  to  face,  watching  each  other's  movements — the  one  ag 
gressively,  the  other  defensively.  By  degrees  the  warm  weath 
er  made  its  appearance,  and  the  fields  and  roads  were  in  so 
favorable  a  state  as  to  enable  large  bodies  of  troops  to  ma 
noeuvre  again.  The  end  of  May  came  on,  and  the  two  armies 
still  occupied  their  respective  positions  on  the  James  River, 
the  monotony  of  general  inaction  being  relieved  only  by  oc 
casional  outpost  skirmishes.  In  the  mean  while  however, 
disease  spread  among  our  forces  to  a  most  alarming  extent : 
virulent,  obstinate  fevers,  caused  by  the  miasma  of  the  neigh, 
boring  swamps,  prevailed  to  a  great  extent,  and  the  ravages 
that  ensued  became  so  great  as  to  cause  much  anxiety  to  Gen 
eral  Johnston.  The  deaths,  indeed,  were  so  numerous,  that 
sufficient  persons  could  not  be  procured  at  Richmond  to  un 
dertake  the  task  of  burying  the  bodies,  which  lay  exposed  in 
the  churchyards  by  hundreds,  spreading  pestilence  around. 
The  medical  faculty  anticipated  fearful  consequences  from  this 
state  of  things,  and  General  Johnston  contemplated  gloomily 
the  inroads  disease  was  hourly  making  in  his  brave  army, 
which  almost  seemed  as  if  it  were  doomed  to  sink  altogether 
into  an  inglorious  grave.  In  this  dire  emergency  he  resolved 
at  all  costs  to  attack  his  intrenched  opponents.  The  various 
corps  tfarmee  chosen  for  this  purpose  were  therefore  prompt 
ly  drawn  together,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  31st  of  May, 
during  a  violent  storm,  General  Johnston  attacked  the  enemy's 
troops,  then  occupying  both  sides  of  the  Chickahominy.  Gen 
eral  Hill  commenced  a  furious  attack  on  the  enemy's  left  wing, 
which  being  in  a  well  intrenched  position,  was  enabled  to  make 
a  good  defence,  and  all  Hill's  efforts  to  storm  the  position  were 
in  vain.  Anderson,  with  his  division  and  two  batteries,  rush 
ed  to  his  support,  and  a  most  desperate  struggle  ensued,  the 
enemy  defending  his  position  with  great  resolution ;  and  the 
ground  was  ere  long  covered  with  the  dead  and  dying.  An. 
derson  so  placed  his  batteries  as  to  establish  a  cross  fire,  and 
under  the  protection  of  these  guns  again  led  his  men  to  the 


286  WAK    PICTURES. 

assault.  A  determined  fight  now  commenced  on  the  parapets 
of  the  enemy's  works,  whilst  the  fire  from  the  two  batteries 
frustrated  any  attempt  on  his  part  to  bring  up  reinforcements. 
The  federal  troops  defended  themselves  obstinately,  disputing 
every  foot  of  ground  with  their  assailants,  and  as  yet  the  Con 
federates  had  no  advantage.  The  commander  of  the  Federal 
troops  strenuously  urged  his  men  to  hold  their  ground,  and 
they  responded  to  his  appeal  by  standing  by  their  guns  till 
numbers  of  them  were  cut  to  pieces.  At  this  moment  their 
leader  was  struck  down  by  a  bullet,  and  at  this  sight  their 
stubborn  resistance  began  to  falter,  and  they  gradually  fell 
back.  Thus  the  Confederate  troops  by  degrees  got  a  firm 
footing  on  the  obstinately  contested  position.  Another  impet 
uous  rush  was  made  by  the  Confederates,  and  the  enemy  was 
driven  headlong  from  his  works  and  sought  safety  in  flight. 
Johnston  now  ordered  our  cavalry  to  take  up  the  pursuit,  and 
General  Wickman,  at  the  head  of  his  squadron,  swept  the  plain 
— his  eager  troopers,  like  a  flock  of  ravenous  hawks,  dealing 
death  and  destruction  to  all  they  encountered. 

An  indescribable  panic  seized  the  enemy,  and  they  gave 
way  along  their  whole  line.  Generals  Keyes  and  Naglee  in 
vain  tried  to  rally  the  fugitives.  It  seemed  as  if  no  human 
power  could  stop  them  in  their  disorderly  flight. 

At  this  moment,  however,  General  Heintzelman  rapidly 
brought  up  his  division  to  stem  the  pursuit  of  the  Confeder 
ate  troops,  and  planted  himself  like  a  rock  between  the  pur 
sued  and  their  pursuers.  His  men,  Irish  and  Germans,  fought 
and  died  like  heroes  in  this  work  of  salvation.  All  Hill's  and 
Anderson's  attempts  to  repulse  them  were  futile  ;  the  Germans 
and  Irish  kept  their  ground,  and  succeeded  in  covering  the 
flight  of  their  vanquished  comrades.  They  steadily  opposed 
every  fierce  onset  of  our  elated  troops,  and  stood  like  a  wall 
between  them  and  their  own  defeated  forces,  in  order  that 
some  of  the  fugitives  might  be  enabled  to  reform  their  ranks, 
and  thus  in  their  turn  try  to  assist  those  who  had  come  to 


DEFEAT  OF  THE  CONFEDERATES.          287 

their  rescue.  In  this  way  a  line  of  battle  was  once  more  form 
ed  and  the  struggle  was  again  maintained  with  desperation. 
General  Anderson,  seeing  that  it  was  hopeless  to  make  an  im. 
pression  on  those  firm  columns,  now  ordered  forward  Pickett's 
brigade  to  the  attack,  so  as  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  retreat.  Before 
this  order  could  be  executed,  however,  the  troops  were  met  by 
the  enemy's  brigade  commanded  by  General  Sumner,  who 
fell  on  them  with  the  bayonet,  whilst  a  battery  which  Sumner 
had  ordered  up  played  upon  them  at  the  same  time,  causing 
great  havoc.  Pickett's  brigade  now  turned  and  hastily  retired  : 
this  necessarily  led  to  the  retreat  of  the  divisions  of  Anderson 
and  Hill.  Johnston  vainly  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  best 
troops  in  order  to  reopen  the  action  ;  all  his  efforts  were  use 
less  :  the  victorious  enemy  pressed  on  with  loud  cheers.  The 
generals  halted  to  make  a  last  effort ;  but  it  was  of  no  avail. 
Sumner  rushed  on  our  troops,  who  had  lost  all  self-possession, 
and  drove  them  back  to  Fair  Oaks,  until  night  put  an  end  to 
the  struggle. 


288  WAR    PICTURES. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

BATTLE  OF  SEVEN  PINES. 

Efforts  of  General  Johnston  and  others  to  reorganize  our  troops— Touching  inter 
view  "between  the  General  and  his  eon,  Colonel  Johnston — Plans  for  the  coming 
battle— My  cavalry  regiment  attached  to  LongBtreet's  division— State  of  the 
camp  at  night — Preparations  for  action — Approach  of  the  enemy's  columns — 
Commencement  of  the  battle — Heavy  cannonade — Our  successful  cavalry  en 
counter — Desperate  contest  at  the  centre — General  Johnston's  repeated  attacks 
— Resolute  stand  of  the  enemy,  and  heroism  of  the  German  troops — General 
Lee's  attack  eventually  repulsed— General  Johnston  makes  a  final  effort  at  the 
head  of  his  troops,  and  is  grievously  wounded— The  Confederates  gain  the  vic 
tory — Fearful  losses  caused  by  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines — Sufferings  of  the 
wounded. 

THE  Confederate  troops  were,  as  may  be  expected  after  the 
loss  of  so  obstinate  a  battle,  and  the  untoward  circumstances 
that  invariably  accompany  a  hasty  retreat,  thoroughly  ex 
hausted — many  among  them  falling  to  the  ground  in  utter 
helplessness ;  they  were  gradually  brought  in  and  placed  in 
the  houses  nearest  the  field  of  battle. 

Generals  Johnston,  Lee,  and  Longstreet,  however,  exerted 
themselves  to  the  utmost  to  arouse  their  sinking  spirits,  and 
promptly  ordered  that  all  necessary  measures  should  be 
taken  to  procure  the  means  of  transport  for  those  who  were 
seriously  wounded.  Besides  which,  they  had  to  determine 
what  positions  should  be  occupied  by  our  troops  on  the  ensu 
ing  day — another  day  of  battle.  Tired  and  hungry,  many  of 
our  poor  fellows  strolled  about  wearily  and  moodily.  No 
lively  song  or  passing  jest — no  joyous  laugh  denoted  that 


THE   NIGHT   AFTER   THE   BATTLE.  289 

they  felt  confident  of  success  in  the  anticipated  battle  of  the 
morrow.  They  obeyed  the  orders  of  their  officers  sullenly, 
and  almost  reluctantly.  But  a  change  was  at  hand.  Fresh 
troops  from  Richmond  now  came  up ;  five  regiments  from 
South  Carolina  and  Alabama ;  whilst  the  batteries  of  the 
Washington  artillery  rattled  heavily  past  under  their  gallant 
commander.  Walton  next  followed,  enveloped  in  clouds  of 
dust ;  regiments  of  cavalry  from  North  Carolina,  Tennessee, 
and  Kentucky,  their  bright  swords  glistening  as  they  reflect 
the  light  of  the  watchfires  that  lie  on  the  road.  The  arrival 
of  comrades  to  share  in  the  perils  their  fellow  soldiers  have 
to  encounter  has  always  a  happy  effect  upon  the  spirits  of  any 
troops.  The  newcomers  were  accordingly  greeted  with  joy 
ous  shouts  of  welcome,  and  every  scrap  of  provisions  that 
had  not  been  consumed  was  gladly  produced  and  shared  with 
the  newly  arrived  forces.  The  events  of  the  recent  battle 
were  eagerly  listened  to  by  them,  related  as  they  were  by  the 
men  who  had  taken  part  in  this  obstinate  and  protracted  con 
flict.  Hopes  of  better  luck  on  the  morrow  were  now  loudly 
expressed,  and  promises  of  mutual  support  eagerly  went 
round.  The  camp  became  quite  animated — the  men's  courage 
was  renovated ;  defeat  was  no  longer  deemed  possible,  and 
even  fatigue  seemed  to  be  for  the  moment  forgotten.  More 
serious  business  was  meantime  in  preparation  at  the  head 
quarters  of  the  general-in-chief.  Seated  near  a  campfire, 
General  Johnston  was  thoughtfully  occupied  in  studying  a 
map  that  lay  before  him,  a  knot  of  officers  standing  in  a 
group  close  by  their  chief.  The  critical  state  of  affairs  was 
fully  understood  by  all  present,  and  every  eye  was  anxiously 
turned  upon  our  beloved  commander.  Presently  the  general 
asked  for  his  son,  Colonel  Johnston,  who  was  one  of  the  aide- 
de-camps  of  President  Jefferson  Davis.  As  soon  as  the  colo 
nel  seated  himself  by  his  father's  side,  the  latter  tore  a  leaf 
of  paper  out  of  his  pocketbook,  and,  after  writing  on  it  a  few 
lines,  he  handed  it  to  his  son,  with  the  words  :  "  Give  that 
13 


290  "WAR    PICTURES. 

to  your  mother."  He  also  wrote  a  few  words  upon  another 
leaf;  but  this  he  folded  and  sealed,  and  then  handing  it  to  his 
son,  said,  "  Deliver  this  to  President  Davis.  You  can  now 
go,"  he  added,  bidding  him  adieu,  cordially,  "  and  let  me  see 
you  to-morrow."  When  just  about  to  mount  his  horse  the 
colonel  hastened  back  to  say  a  few  more  parting  words  to  his 
father,  who  had  now  risen  to  watch  his  departure.  The  gene 
ral  folded  his  son  in  his  arms  with  ill-concealed  emotion,  and 
then  repeated  in  a  cheering  tone  his  directions  that  he  would 
be  sure  to  come  to  see  him  on  the  morrow.  "  Yes,  yes, 
father,"  replied  Colonel  Johnston,  in  a  voice  hoarse  with  emo 
tion,  as  he  tore  himself  away.  He  then  mounted  his  horse, 
and  in  a  few  moments  was  lost  sight  of  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  For  some  time  after  his  son's  departure  the  old  gen 
eral  stood  with  outstretched  arms,  as  motionless  as  a  statue, 
staring  fixedly  at  vacancy.  Not  a  word  had  been  uttered  by 
the  generals  and  other  officers  present  at  this  affecting  inter 
view.  At  length  their  chief  turned  round,  abruptly  exclaim 
ing,  "  Now,  gentlemen,  to  business."  The  scene,  simple  as  it 
may  seem  in  description,  was  in  reality  most  impressive. 
Could  the  general  have  had  some  kind  of  foreboding  of  what 
was  to  befall  him  on  the  following  day  ? 

We  now  all  proceeded  to  the  tent  of  the  commander-in- 
chief,  where  maps  and  plans  were  strewed  on  large  tables.  In 
a  few  distinct  and  emphatic  words,  Johnston  gave  his  instruc 
tions  to  each  general  in  turn,  urging  one  and  all,  in  manly 
words,  to  uphold  the  honor  of  the  posts  respectively  assigned 
to  them.  He  particularly  urged  that  those  regiments  which 
had  suffered  so  severely  from  .  the  late  sanguinary  battle 
should  be  looked  after  and  well  cared  for,  and  that  they  should 
be  spared  as  much  as  possible.  "  To  you,  General  Holmes," 
said  he,  addressing  that  officer,  "  I  intrust  the  reserve.  As 
regards  the  necessity  for  employing  it,  that  I  leave  to  your 
own  judgment,  well  knowing  you  will  do  your  duty  as  a 
brave  and  trusty  officer  of  the  Confederate  army.  And  now, 


TIIE   COMING   FIGHT.  291 

good  night,  gentlemen ;  we  all  stand  in  need  of  rest  to  pre 
pare  ourselves  for  the  heavy  work  in  store  for  us  to-morrow." 

Generals  and  staff  officers  now  separated — gliding  off 
silently,  like  so  many  shadows  of  the  night,  to  their  respect 
ive  quarters. 

All  was  now  still  as  death  in  the  camp,  the  silence  being 
broken  only  by  the  occasional  challenge  of  a  sentry,  or  by 
the  stray  report  of  a  musket.  Later  in  the  night,  I  was 
directed  to  join  General  Longstreet  with  my  regiment,  and  to 
place  myself  under  his  orders.  We  were,  on  our  part,  there 
fore,  obliged  to  forego  the  hoped-for  rest,  and  to  make  our 
way  to  the  extreme  right  wing,  where  Anderson's  troops  were 
posted.  We  reached  the  appointed  place  about  midnight, 
when  we  found  the  whole  division  already  on  the  move.  All 
needless  baggage  was  sent  off  to  Richmond,  whilst  the  sol 
diers  struck  their  tents  and  put  out  their  watchfires.  An 
derson  explained  that  he  had  made  most  careful  preparations 
for  executing  the  task  allotted  to  him  for  the  following  day. 

As  soon  as  I  had  reached  the  division  to  which  I  was  now 
attached,  I  ordered  my  men  to  feed  their  horses,  and  to  examine 
their  arms  and  accoutrements,  that  they  might  be  in  proper 
order  for  immediate  service.  We  then  encamped  upon  the 
damp  ground,  all  of  us  impatiently  awaiting  the  dawn  of  day. 
It  was  a  beautiful  night ;  a  mild  but  refreshing  breeze  blew 
over  the  encampment,  and  no  one  could  have  supposed  that 
on  so  small  a  patch  of  ground  lay  encamped  two  hostile 
armies,  numbering  together  100,000  men,  mutually  animated 
by  a  feeling  of  mortal  hatred,  and  who  only  awaited  the  first 
golden  streaks  of  the  rising  sun  to  begin  the  hideous  work  of 
slaying  each  other.  Before  all  the  preparations  were  quite 
completed  the  word  of  command  was  given  to  advance,  and 
the  infantry  began  to  move  in  dense  masses  over  the  fields, 
while  my  troopers  sprang  into  their  saddles.  By  this  time 
noisy  sounds,  in  which  was  mingled  the  hum  of  many  human 
voices,  succeeded  the  stillness  of  the  night.  Aide-de-camps, 


292  WAR    PICTURES. 

orderlies,  officers  of  every  description,  rode  along  the  front  of 
the  troops.  Suddenly  a  large  body  of  horsemen  was  seen 
advancing.  It  was  General  Johnston  and  his  staff,  who  had 
come  to  inspect  the  different  columns  already  drawn  up  in 
position.  In  a  few  pithy  words  the  General  admonished  the 
officers  to  do  their  duty. 

For  a  few  moments  all  was  quiet,  but  this  short  lull  was 
soon  disturbed  by  a  musketry  fire,  which  increased  in  intensi 
ty  every  minute.  The  prologue  of  the  battle  had  commenced. 
An  officer  from  the  outposts  came  galloping  up  with  the  news 
that  the  enemy  was  already  advancing  in  dense  columns,  and 
that  our  pickets  were  obliged  to  fall  back  before  the  heavy 
fire  to  which  they  were  exposed.  Cole's  legion  was  immedi 
ately  sent  up  in  support  of  our  foremost  troops.  The  roar 
of  cannon  now  became  audible  in  the  centre  and  on  our  Jeft 
flank,  denoting  that  the  battle  had  commenced  in  good  ear 
nest,  whereupon  the  batteries  on  both  sides  took  up  the  fire 
with  spirit.  In  a  few  minutes  the  earth  seemed  to  shake, 
while  the  air  vibrated  sensibly  from  the  incessant  firing  of 
great  guns.  Our  foot  soldiers  advanced  at  the  quick  step ; 
all  thoughts  not  connected  with  the  deadly  work  in  hand  had 
vanished  from  the  minds  of  the  men — they  were  intent  solely 
on  slaughter  and  destruction,  so  eager  were  they  in  their  des 
perate  resolve  of  taking  this  day  a  bloody  revenge  for  their 
late  defeat.  The  cavalry,  in  compact  array,  impatiently  chafed 
for  the  arrival  of  the  order  for  them  to  take  part  in  the 
battle.  The  first  wounded  men  were  now  brought  to  the 
rear :  poor  fellows,  many  of  them  had  already  the  shadow  of 
death  marked  upon  their  countenances,  and  as  they  were  car 
ried  past  they  called  upon  us  to  avenge  them.  My  men  were 
getting  frantically  impatient,  uttering  imprecations  between 
their  long  moustaches  and  beards  at  being  so  long  kept  idle. 
At  last  the  wished-for  order  came:  "Cavalry,  prepare  to 
charge."  General  Holmes  then  led  our  two  cavalry  regi 
ments  somewhat  to  the  left,  to  an  open  field,  where  we  drew 


BATTLE   OF   SEVEN   PINES.  293 

up  in  readiness  for  action.  On  our  right,  one  of  our  batteries 
was  keeping  up  so  well  sustained  a  fire  that  the  dense  clouds 
of  smoke  hanging  around  concealed  everything  from  our  view. 
We  had  scarcely  got  into  order  and  prepared  for  the  onset 
when  the  trumpet  blasts  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  reached  our 
ears,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  from  behind  a  small  hillock,  the 
enemy's  dragoons  and  hussars  came  into  view.  "  Charge  ! " 
and  in  a  few  moments  after  this  inspiring  word  was  uttered 
we  were  upon  the  enemy,  using  our  swords,  revolvers,  and 
lances  with  deadly  effect ;  and  in  this  fierce  encounter  many  a 
brave  fellow  soon  bit  the  dust.  We  drove  back  the  enemy's 
cavalry,  but  whilst  in  pursuit,  a  heavy  fire  from  a  body  of 
the  enemy's  infantry  assailed  our  flank,  compelling  us  to  wheel 
round  and  fall  back  to  our  former  position  with  a  few  captured 
horses  as  trophies.  Meantime  the  battle  was  raging  with 
fury  in  the  centre.  General  Johnston,  having  ascertained  that 
owing  to  the  preceding  heavy  rains  the  bridges  over  the 
Chicahominy  in  the  enemy's  rear  had  been  swept  away,  re 
solved  forthwith  to  turn  this  circumstance  to  good  account. 
Gathering  together  all  the  troops  that  could  be  spared,  he 
made  repeated  attacks  upon  the  enemy's  centre.  The  hasty 
manner,  however,  in  which  these  attacks  were  made,  was  un 
favorable  to  their  success,  and  General  Lee  repeatedly  urged 
him,  but  in  vain,  to  be  more  sparing  with  his  reserve.  Our 
foes  were,  in  fact,  in  a  very  critical  position,  having  behind 
them  a  stream  so  swollen  by  the  rains  as  to  bar  their  only 
means  of  communication  with  their  forces  on  the  opposite 
bank  ;  while  in  their  front  they  were  exposed  to  the  vehement 
attacks  of  an  exasperated  foe,  fighting  almost  under  the  walls 
of  their  capital — before  the  gates  of  the  very  sanctuary  of  the 
Confederacy. 

Column  after  column  was  pushed  forward  by  General 
Johnston  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  the  return  of  each 
of  the  shattered  remnants  proved  the  stubborn  resistance  of 
the  foe.  Some  German  regiments  from  Michigan  performed 


294  WAR    PICTURES. 

prodigies  of  valor  on  this  occasion.  Most  of  their  officers 
were  killed,  and  their  ranks  were  fearfully  .cut  up ;  but  no 
thing  could  prevail  against  the  stern  resolution  of  their  de 
fence.  Death  stared  them  in  the  face  wherever  they  looked, 
but  their  courage  never  flagged.  It  was  a  sad  episode  in  this 
bloody  fight,  when  these  brave  German  soldiers  from  the  far 
West  were  seen  to  fall  man  after  man.  Such  devotion  proves 
clearly  that  they  cherished  the  land  of  their  adoption  with 
cordial  affection.  General  Johnston  still  persevered  in  his 
attacks  with  unabated  vigor,  ordering  up  regiment  after  regi 
ment,  with  a  stern  resolve  to  succeed,  by  reiterated  blows,  in 
eventually  beating  the  enemy.  General  Lee  at  length  brought 
up  some  fresh  brigades,  with  the  whole  of  the  reserve,  and 
with  these  troops  dashed  forward  at  a  rush,  courteously  salu 
ting  General  Johnston  with  his  sword  as  he  passed,  whilst  the 
troops  gave  the  commander-in-chief  a  cheer ;  but  it  was  not 
one  of  those  hearty,  confident  cheers  that  imply  a  certainty 
of  success ;  it  was  rather  the  solemn  war-cry  of  men  in  a 
state  of  desperation,  and  which  baffles  description.  The  havoc 
now  dealt  amongst  our  men  was  fearful  to  contemplate. 
They  kept  falling  incessantly  on  every  side,  their  places  being 
promptly  supplied  by  their  comrades.  General  Johnston  sat 
on  his  horse  all  through  this  scene  of  carnage,  perfectly  calm 
and  collected,  issuing  his  orders  to  his  aide-de-camps,  who  flew 
right  and  left  to  see  them  executed.  The  battle  had  now 
lasted  for  many  hours,  and  yet  the  scales  of  victory  still  hung 
on  the  balance. 

General  Lee  had  now  to  fall  back  with  shattered  troops, 
the  blood  streaming  from  many  of  his  officers,  and  his  survi 
ving  men  powerless  from  sheer  fatigue.  At  this  juncture 
General  Johnston,  putting  spurs  to  his  noble  charger,  galloped 
up  with  his  staff  to  where  Longstreet,  Magruder,  and  Hill  had 
collected  their  men  in  something  like  order.  In  a  hoarse 
voice  he  ordered  them  to  form  in  a  compact  mass,  and  then, 
addressing  a  few  emphatic  words  to  the  troops,  said  he  would 


BATTLE    OF   SEVEN   PINES.  295 

lead  them  in  person  against  the  enemy.  In  vain  did  Long- 
street  and  the  other  generals  endeavor  to  dissuade  him  from 
such  a  step  ;  they  would  themselves,  said  they,  with  musket 
in  hand,  lead  the  men  on  if  he  wished  it,  but  they  urged  that 
he  ought  not  to  expose  himself  to  such  a  risk.  "  What  a  loss 
to  Richmond  it  would  be — what  a  loss  to  the  cause  of  the 
Confederacy,  if  he  were  to  fall ! " 

To  this  remonstrance  Johnston  replied,  he  was  quite 
aware  that  every  man,  down  to  the  smallest  drummer  boy, 
had  this  day  done  his  duty,  and  that  he  was  resolved  also  to 
perform  his.  Calmly,  but  firmly,  he  ordered  the  officers  to  their 
various  posts,  and  then  in  person  took  the  active  command 
of  the  attacking  columns.  It  soon  spread  through  the  ranks 
that  General  Johnston  was  going  to  lead  the  troops  in  person, 
and  a  cheer  resounded  along  the  lines.  The  three  divisions 
of  Longstreet,  Hill,  and  Magruder  advanced  in  fine  order, 
with  flags  flying,  and  drums  beating,  and  as  they  pressed  for 
ward,  even  the  wounded  gave  them  a  cheer.  It  was  clear  that 
these  men  were  determined  to  conquer  or  to  die  with  their 
beloved  commander.  Fearlessly  the  enemy  awaited  the 
shock.  In  a  few  moments  a  renewed  conflict  took  place,  and 
the  battle  raged  with  redoubled  fury  on  the  same  ground  that 
had  already  witnessed  such  desperate  fighting — such  fearful 
carnage.  A  few  brigades  of  the  enemy  came  up  in  support 
of  their  comrades,  who  appeared  unable  to  withstand  John 
ston's  furious  attack  ;  the  battle  had  now  reached  its  height. 
In  the  midst  of  his  men,  who  were  falling  around  him  on  all 
sides,  Johnston  seemed  bullet  proof.  But  suddenly  he  placed 
his  hand  to  his  side ;  he  turned  deadly  pale,  and  blood  was 
seen  to  flow  down  his  clothes ;  he  was  grievously  wounded, 
and  presently  fell  from  his  horse.  In  a  moment  his  officers 
were  around  him,  and  endeavored  to  carry  him  from  the  field. 
The  report  that  Johnston  had  been  killed  spreading  through 
the  ranks,  our  men,  like  so  many  incarnate  fiends,  fell  upon 
the  enemy,  who  had,  during  this  hard-fought  day,  so  re- 


296  WAK    PICTURES. 

solutely  confronted  them.  So  extraordinary,  however,  was 
the  effect  of  the  cry  now  raised  on  all  sides,  of  "  Johnston  is 
killed,"  that  the  enemy's  troops  could  no  longer  withstand  the 
terrific  onslaught  of  our  maddened  men.  Their  ranks  waver 
ed,  and  they  precipitately  fled  from  the  bloody  field. 

The  victory  of  Seven  Pines  was  dearly  bought.  Our 
commander,  General  Johnston,  was  not  mortally  wounded, 
but  the  injury  he  received  was  most  serious.  The  losses  in 
flicted  on  both  armies  by  this  conflict  were  indeed  fearful  in 
extent.  Killed  and  wounded  were  lying  by  thousands  on  the 
battle  field,  and  the  cries  of  the  latter  for  help  were  heart 
rending  in  the  extreme.  Our  men,  however,  were  so  excited 
by  the  contest,  that  they  seemed  bereft  of  the  feelings  of 
humanity,  and  were  solely  intent  upon  recruiting  their  ex 
hausted  frames  with  food  and  rest.  General  Lee,  on  whom 
the  command  devolved  after  Johnston's  fall,  exerted  himself 
to  the  utmost  to  provide  for  the  wounded,  and  took  measures 
to  have  them  gradually  conveyed  either  to  Richmond  or  to 
the  houses  that  lay  near  to  the  field  of  battle. 


STATE   OF   THE   HOSTILE  AKMIES.  297 


CHAPTER    XL. 

INVESTMENT    OF    RICHMOND. 

State  of  the  hostile  armies  after  the  late  battle— H'Clellan  not  properly  sup 
ported  by  his  Government — Official  blindness — Disposition  of  the  Federal 
forces— Alarm  at  Richmond — General  Lee's  great  activity — The  Federal  army 
appears  before  Richmond — Destitution  in  the  city — Effective  defensive  meas 
ures — Comparative  inactivity  of  the  Federal  generals — The  Confederates  as 
sume  the  offensive — Stuart's  dashing  raid — Desperate  cavalry  fight — Exciting 
single  combat — Success  of  Stuart's  raid — M'Clellan  remains  on  the  defensive — 
General  Lee  prepares  for  the  attack. 

THE  most  important  duty  that  obviously  lay  before  General 
Lee,  on  assuming  the  supreme  command  of  the  Confederate 
forces,  was  to  reestablish  order  and  discipline  among  the 
troops,  and  bring  them  -back  to  their  former  state,  with  a 
view  to  the  complete  reorganization  of  the  army. 

The  day  succeeding  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines  the  beaten 
and  mortified  Federal  troops  took  up  their  new  positions,  and 
the  pickets  and  patrols,  who  were  generally  on  the  alert,  now 
remained  quietly  at  their  posts,  without  attempting  to  disturb 
us  by  desultory  firing.  Rest  was  indeed  indispensable  to  both 
armies  after  their  late  extraordinary  exertions.  General 
M'Clellan's  army  had  greatly  suffered,  but  perhaps  not  so 
much  as  ours.  His  officers  were  enabled,  by  their  coolness 
and  skilful  conduct,  to  spare  the  lives  of  their  men,  whilst  on 
our  part  great  losses  were  often  occasioned  by  the  blind 
adoption  of  ill-considered  measures. 

The  commanders  of  both  armies  turned  their  first  atten- 
13* 


298  WAK    PICTUEES. 

tion  to  the  wounded,  and  then  endeavored  to  fill  up  the  fear 
ful  gaps  in  their  ranks  by  means  of  reinforcements.  Geneva! 
M'Clellan  was,  however,  only  enabled  to  obtain  scanty  aid  of 
this  kind,  as  his  Government  regarded  with  no  little  jealousy 
the  prospect  of  the  successful  career  of  this  young  general. 
They  could  not  be  blind  to  the  fact  that  in  spite  of  the  diffi 
culties  of  the  country  through  which  he  had  made  his  way, 
he  had,  by  his  bold  flank  marches  and  successful  actions,  suc 
ceeded  in  pushing  his  way  to  the  walls  of  Richmond.  That 
M'Clellan  had  instilled  a  spirit  of  confidence  into  his  army, 
was  a  fact  patent  to  the  world.  But  his  Government,  instead 
of  sending  all  their  disposable  troops  to  the  Peninsula,  in  or 
der  to  gain  possession  of  Richmond  by  a  decisive  blow,  split 
up  their  forces,  leaving  General  M'Dowell  inactive  at  Fredcr- 
icksburg,  General  Burnside  at  Newbern,  and  from  20,000  to 
25,000  men  before  Charleston. 

But  one  object  should  have  occupied  the  minds  of  the 
Union  Government:  the  capture  of  Richmond.  The  mo 
ment  was  opportune.  New  Orleans,  the  richest  and  most 
important  centre  of  commerce  of  the  South,  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  General  Butler,  after  a  combined  attack  by  the 
Federal  fleet  and  land  forces.  Memphis,  the  second  most  im 
portant  town  on  the  Mississippi,  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Union ;  the  dreaded  Merrimac  had  ceased  to  exist.  The  York 
and  James  rivers,  with  their  deep  channels,  were  open  to  the 
Federal  ships,  and  the  efficient  army  under  M'Clellan  was  so 
near  Richmond  as  to  be  within  hail  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
city.  All  amongst  them  who  could  do  so  were  leaving  the 
place.  It  only  required  the  employment  of  powerful  means 
to  destroy  the  fortifications  that  protected  the  town.  All 
political  animosity  should  have  ceased  at  this  juncture,  and 
but  one  idea  should  have  prevailed  at  Washington,  that  of 
using  every  possible  exertion  to  avert  the  impending  disas 
ters.  Every  man,  whatever  his  party,  whether  Democrat  or 
Republican,  should  have  thrown  aside  factious  feeling,  and 


INVESTMENT    OF   KICHMOND,  299 

united  with  his  fellow  citizens  in  upholding  the  cause  of  his 
country.  Lincoln  no  doubt  meant  well,  and  endeavored  to 
do  his  duty  thoroughly ;  but  he  was,  unfortunately,  surround 
ed  by  a  party,  who,  governed  by  selfish  motives,  did  not 
scruple  to  bring  their  once  happy,  but  now  afflicted  country 
to  the  very  vej-ge  of  ruin.  M'Clellan  was  made  to  suffer 
from  this  factious  conduct,  which  not  only  grieved  him  sensi 
bly  as  a  patriot,  but  greatly  obstructed  his  operations  as  a 
military  commander,  and  in  fact  threatened  to 'endanger  the 
eventual  safety  of  his  army. 

The  nearer  the  Federal  forces  approached  Richmond  the 
greater  became  the  tumult  and  disorder  there.  The  conduct 
of  the  Confederate  Government  on  this  occasion,  instead  of 
allaying,  served  to  increase  the  confusion ;  for  instead  of 
making  a  decisive  effort  with  the  forces  then  at  Richmond, 
they  ordered  all  the  public  officials  to  pack  up  their  effects 
and  hand  them  over  to  the  charge  of  the  ordnance  depart 
ment,  and  directed  the  magazines  to  be  cleared  and  their  con 
tents  carried  away  farther  South.  President  Davis  himself 
showed  the  white  feather,  for  he  hurried  off  with  his  wife  and 
family  to  North  Carolina,  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  this  did 
not  serve  to  allay  the  alarm  of  the  people.  In  short,  dismay 
and  confusion  reached  their  highest  pitch.  General  Winder's 
secret  police  lost  all  power  of  acting.  The  civic  authorities 
of  Richmond  were  anxious  to  do  something,  but  were  too  be 
wildered  to  grapple  with  the  mischief.  A  small  number  of 
desperate  fellows  from  Baltimore  took  advantage  of  these  cir 
cumstances,  and,  at  a  public  meeting  which  they  convened, 
actually  passed  a  resolution  for  burning  down  Richmond,  the 
moment  the  enemy  should  attack  the  town.  The  sick  and 
wounded  were  conveyed  into  the  interior ;  many  public  build 
ings,  as  well  as  private  houses,  were  made  ready  to  be  set  fire 
to,  and  the  distracted  city  was  apparently  on  the  eve  of  a 
great  catastrophe. 

General  Lee  actively  exerted  himself  in  placing  the  forti- 


300  WAR    PICTURES. 

fications  in  better  order,  and  in  constructing  new  works  at 
various  points.  Nor  was  this  active  energy  on  his  part  su 
perfluous  ;  for  the  defences  of  Fort  James  were  not  far  ad 
vanced  when  the  Federal  ships  appeared  within  six  miles  of 
them.  It  was  indeed  only  when  the  enemy  was  close  upon 
us,  that  many  measures  were  adopted  which,  ought  to  have 
been  taken  weeks  before.  General  Lee  was  busy  in  all  ways 
night  and  day,  exerting  himself  on  behalf  of  his  many  sick 
and  wounded,"  and  was  intent  not  only  on  increasing  the  nu 
merical  strength  of  the  army,  but  did  his  best  to  inspire  it 
with  fresh  ardor. 

Meanwhile,  General  M'Clellan  advanced  slowly  and  cau 
tiously,  but  with  determination,  and  one  morning  his  troops 
were  descried  encamped  in  a  crescent-like  order  around  Rich 
mond.  M'Clellan  and  the  chief  of  his  staff,  General  Marcy, 
commenced  their  operations  by  encircling  Richmond  with  a 
belt  of  intrenchments,  which  were  calculated  not  only  to  pro 
tect  their  men,  but  were  made  with  a  view  of  effectually  in 
vesting  the  place.  The  hostile  armies  worked  away  steadily 
at  their  respective  fortifications  within  gunshot  of  each  other, 
and  the  advanced  sentries  were  so  near  as  to  be  able  to  con 
verse  together.  They  indeed  not  unfrequently  exchanged 
such  gifts  as  tobacco  and  brandy  on  the  sly,  keeping  up  quite 
a  friendly  intercourse. 

In  the  mean  time  great  distress  prevailed  in  Richmond. 
The  commonest  necessaries  of  life  rose  to  prices  which  but 
few  could  afford  to  pay,  and  there  was  such  a  scarcity  of 
medicines  that  thousands  of  poor  fellows  went  to  their  graves 
for  the  want  of  them.  The  inhabitants  of  Richmond  will 
never  forget  that  sad  epoch.  The  soldiers  themselves  were 
in  want  of  the  commonest  articles  of  food.  These  horrors 
did  not,  however,  damp  General  Lee's  energy.  After  having 
put  Richmond  in  a  respectable  state  of  defence  he  ordered 
Generals  "  Stonewall "  Jackson,  Ewell,  and  Stuart  from  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  to  Richmond,  and  gave  orders  to  Generals 


STUART'S  RAID.  301 

Beauregard  and  Smith  to  send  up  all  the  troops  they  could 
possibly  spare.  The  hospitals  were  all  cleared,  and  arrange 
ments  made  for  the  reception  of  10,000  wounded.  Artillery 
and  ammunition  wagons  rattled  through  the  streets  of  Rich 
mond,  while  orderlies  and  aide-de-camps  might  be  seen  gallop 
ing  about  in  all  directions ;  troops,  too,  were  hourly  arriving. 
They  came  in  a  sorry  plight,  it  is  true  ;  but  ragged  and  ema 
ciated  as  they  were,  they  nevertheless  marched  in  with  their 
bands  playing  and  colors  flying,  and  with  every  appearance 
of  being  determined  to  make  a  stout  fight  for  their  inde 
pendence. 

All  these  occurrences  could  not  have  been  unknown  to 
Generals  M'Dowell,  Fremont,  and  Banks.  Information  must 
have  reached  them,  not  only  through  their  own  spies,  but  from 
deserters,  that  General  Lee  was  concentrating  all  his  forces 
round  Richmond,  for  the  purpose  of  striking  a  determined 
blow  at  M'Clellan's  army.  These  officers  ought,  therefore, 
to  have  used  all  their  influence  with  their  Government  to  be 
allowed  to  join  M'Clellan,  so  that  the  fall  of  Richmond  might 
be  insured.  But  nothing  was  done.  M'Clellan  was  allowed 
to  expend  his  energies  unaided  before  the  gates  of  the  belea 
guered  city,  and  so  the  Confederates  were  allowed  to  concen 
trate  their  troops  at  Richmond  without  opposition. 

When  our  preparations  were  at  last  so  far  completed  that 
we  were  enabled  to  take  the  offensive,  General  Lee  ordered 
Colonel  Stuart,  with  two  regiments  of  cavalry  and  a  12- 
pounder  battery  of  h<Hrse  artillery,  to  make  a  general  recon- 
noissance  of  the  enemy's  lines,  but  to  keep  a  special  lookout 
upon  General  M'Dowell's  movements,  as  it  was  known  that 
his  outposts  were  within  twenty  miles  of  Richmond.  For 
this  purpose,  the  9th  and  15th  regiments  of  cavalry  were  se 
lected — tried  soldiers,  who  had  served  in  every  part  of  the 
country  ;  and,  under  the  command  of  the  gallant  Colonel  Stu 
art,  they  proceeded  along  the  turnpike  road,  in  the  direction 
of  Hanover  Court  House.  The  advanced  guard  made  itself 


302  WAR    PICTURES. 

acquainted  with  the  ground  through  the  medium  of  the  farm 
ers  in  the  neighborhood.  The  reserve  was  intrusted  to  the 
charge  of  Baron  Barke,  a  Prussian  officer  who  had  recently 
joined  the  Confederate  army,  and  was  acting  as  aide-de-camp. 
The  cavalry  rode  quietly  along  the  enemy's  road.  It  was 
beautiful  summer  weather,  mild  and  clear,  and  in  every  way 
suited  to  a  cavalry  expedition.  The  main  body  was  enabled 
to  ride  on  in  perfect  security,  so  perfect  was  the  confidence 
felt  in  the  circumspection  of  Captain  Norton,  the  officer  com 
manding  the  vanguard.  So  we  lit  our  short  pipes,  and  sang 
snatches  of  songs  as  we  moved  along;  many  a  nigger  looking 
over  the  fences,  and  wondering  where  we  were  going.  Every 
half  hour  a  report  was  regularly  sent  in  by  Captain  Norton, 
who  had  managed  matters  so  well,  that  the  farmers,  apprized 
of  our  raid,  kept  us  informed  of  all  the  enemy's  movements, 
cither  by  preconcerted  signals,  by  word  of  mouth,  or  in  writ 
ing.  It  was  truly  a  bold  undertaking  to  make  this  raid  be 
tween  M'Clellan  and  M'Dowell,  for  if  the  latter  had  only 
taken  a  little  precaution,  so  daring  a  feat  could  have  been 
checked  at  once.  But  General  M'Dowell  seemed  to  have 
been  mentally  blind  just  then.  It  is  true  that  he  had  sent  out 
patrols  and  skirmishers,  within  twenty  miles  of  Richmond, 
but  this^had  been  so  carelessly  managed,  that  the  precaution 
was  wholly  futile.  So  long  as  any  kind  of  information  was 
forwarded  to  headquarters,  it  was  deemed  sufficient,  and  all 
was  believed  to  be  right. 

"  Our  outposts  are  actually  withiri* twenty  miles  of  Rich 
mond  !  "  were  words  that  had  a  magical  effect  on  those  who 
heard  them ;  in  truth,  the  word  Richmond  h#d  a  wonderful 
effect  upon  the  Federal  troops,  and  General  M'Dowell  always 
made  it  a  point  of  dating  his  despatches  to  Washington,  from 
the  nearest  possible  point  to  the  former  city.  Instead  of  de 
voting  all  his  energy  to  the  prosecution  of  measures  that 
would  serve  to  give  effectual  aid  to  M'Clellan,  and  especially 
to  protect  his  right  wing,  he  rather  avoided  coming  at  all  ir 


STUAET'S  RAID.  305 

contact  with  the  troops  of  that  general.  He  seemed  quite 
satisfied  that  a  handful  of  his  troops  should  be  really  in  front 
of  Richmond.  It  was  natural  that  M'Clellan,  aware  of 
M'Dowell's  presence  near  Hanover  Court  House,  should  place 
sufficient  confidence  in  his  skill  as  a  general,  as  to  trust  to  him 
to  cover  his  right  wing ;  for  owing  to  the  immense  extent  of 
his  own  lines,  his  chief  attention  was  directed  to  his  centre, 
that  he  might  be  able  to  repulse  any  attack  upon  that  point. 
We  believed  that  our  cavalry  expedition  had  but  very  little 
to  fear  from  M'Dowell,  and  our  surmise  in  this  respect  proved 
to  be  correct.  Scarcely  had  our  foremost  troopers  come 
within  sight  of  M'Dowell's  videttcs,  when  the  latter  hastily 
fell  back  upon  Fredericksburg.  As  soon  as  we  became  aware 
of  this  somewhat  overcaution  of  the  enemy,  great  exultation 
was  felt  by  our  men,  who  now  became  convinced  of  the  suc 
cessful  issue  of  our  expedition.  Cheerily  did  we  push  for 
ward  along  the  fine  road  to  Hanover  Court  House,  when 
suddenly  one  of  our  foremost  troopers  came  galloping  back 
at  full  speed,  bringing  the  news  from  Captain  Norton,  that 
the  advanced  outposts  of  General  M'Clellan's  right  wing  were 
visible. 

Colonel  Stuart  despatched  orders  to  Captain  Norton  to 
halt,  and  sent  six  squadrons  in  the  direction  where  he  pre 
sumed  the  enemy's  cavalry  to  be  posted  in  order  to  attack 
them.  He  then  directed  Captain  Norton  to  make  a  flank 
movement,  and,  if  he  should  find  the  enemy  had  been  defeated, 
to  follow  in  pursuit.  For  the  first  time,  a  squadron  of  our 
newly  formed  lancers  was  to  take  part  in  this  attack.  Although 
the  men  had  only  just  gone  through  a  few  weeks'  exercise  with 
the  lance,  it  was  judged  desirable  to  see  what  kind  of  service 
they  would  render,  in  order  to  determine  whether  it  would  be 
advisable  to  increase  the  number  of  that  arm.  The  squadrons 
were  ordered  to  proceed  at  a  slow  trot,  on  each  side  of  the 
road,  the  leading  squadron  being  directed,  as  soon  as  they 
came  upon  the  enemy's  outposts,  to  fall  upon  them  rapidly, 


304  WAR    PICTUEES. 

and  drive  them  back  in  disorder.  We  had  already  ridden 
some  distance  when  we  saw  our  leading  squadron  dash  for 
ward  at  full  speed,  amidst  a  fire  of  musketry  and  revolvers. 
The  enemy's  bullets  whistled  around  us  also,  but  fortunately 
did  us  no  harm.  Scarcely,  however,  had  we  reached  the 
verge  of  the  wood  when  we  saw  our  troopers  hurriedly  gal 
loping  back,  hotly  pursued  by  the  5th  regiment  of  the  United 
States  dragoons.  There  was  thus  no  time  to  be  lost  now,  and 
with  a  ringing  cheer  we  dashed  forward  to  support  our  com 
rades.  On  perceiving  our  advance  the  enemy  wheeled  round 
and  galloped  off.  We  had  ridden  about  two  thousand  yards 
when  we  suddenly  came  upon  the  encampment  of  another 
squadron  of  the  enemy's  dragoons.  These  poor  fellows  had 
barely  time  to  get  into  their  saddles  and  to  draw  their  swords  ; 
but  their  leader  (Major  Williams,  if  I  remember  rightly)  per 
formed  his  duty  on  this  emergency  like  a  good  soldier,  en 
couraging  his  men  as  best  he  could,  but  every  second  brought 
us  closer,  and  we  were  soon  in  the  midst  of  them.  After  a 
short  encounter  the  Federal  dragoons  took  to  flight  in  the 
greatest  disorder.  We  were  in  full  pursuit  of  them  when  a 
strong  cavalry  force,  consisting  of  the  enemy's  dragoons  and 
lancers,  under  Colonel  Rush,  came  up  to  the  rescue.  We  col 
lected  and  reformed  our  troopers,  who,  in  the  eagerness  of 
pursuit,  had  become  dispersed,  and  in  a  few  moments  the 
hostile  squadrons  were  engaged  in  a  deadly  conflict.  Colonel 
Rush  and  Major  Williams  led  on  their  men  in  good  style, 
and  showed  us  that  we  had  experienced  cavalry  officers  to 
deal  with.  One  squadron  was  left  behind  as  a  reserve,  while 
the  whole  of  the  remainder  charged.  The  opposing  cavalry 
masses  met  with  a  shock  which  shook  the  ground  beneath  the 
horses'  feet.  In  this  fierce  encounter,  upon  which  a  cool,  re 
freshing  breeze  from  the  wood  played  as  if  in  mockery,  swords 
clashed,  horses  neighed  and  plunged,  and  trumpets  sounded. 

But,  alas,  for  the  issue  of  the  struggle !  our  men  get  the 
worst  of  it ;  our  rough,  well-seasoned  fellows  from  the  prairies 


HEKOIC   SINGLE   COMBAT.  305 

of  Missouri  and  Texas  turn  tail !  The  enemy's  swords  flash 
all  the  quicker,  and  our  flight  becomes  general.  In  vain  is 
our  reserve  squadron  brought  up ;  it  is  also  carried  away  in 
the  flight.  At  this  critical  moment  for  us  a  thundering  cheer 
is  heard  from  a  new  quarter;  Captain  Norton  and  his  men 
make  their  appearance  through  an  opening  in  the  wood,  and 
dash  with  impetuosity  upon  the  exulting  foe.  The  giant  form 
of  Norton,  brandishing  his  Mexican  sabre,  is  plainly  seen  at 
the  head  of  his  men,  and  in  a  moment  the  scene  changes ;  our 
scared  troopers  reform  and  fall  back  to  renew  the  fight. 
Colonel  Stuart  with  the  main  body  of  the  brigade  then  came 
up,  and  it  was  the  enemy's  turn  to  take  to  flight,  our  troops 
pursuing  them  in  hot  haste.  Colonel  Stuart  after  this  ordered 
men  and  horses  to  halt,  for  the  purpose  of  a  little  needful 
rest. 

Meantime  an  episode  in  the  fight  occurred,  in  the  shape  of 
a  duel  between  one  of  the  enemy's  dragoons  and  one  of  our 
Texans,  on  a  small  field  close  by.  The  dragoon  evidently 
scorned  to  join  in  the  flight  of  his  comrades,  and  displayed 
such  skill  in  the  management  of  his  horse  and  in  the  use  of 
his  sword,  that  it  was  quite  a  pleasure  to  watch  him.  In  vain 
did  the  Texan  make  lunge  after  lunge  at  him,  and  try  all  sorts 
of  expedients  to  overcome  his  antagonist.  The  dragoon  sat  as 
firm  as  a  rock  in  his  saddle,  wielding  his  sword  like  a  brand 
of  lightning.  By  the  manner  in  which  he  handled  his  horse 
and  weapon  I  judged  at  a  glance  that  he  was  an  old  German 
trooper,  and  I  could  not  help  watching  the  exciting  combat 
with  very  great  interest.  The  Texan  still  continued  to  wheel 
round  his  opponent  on  his  fleet  barb,  eagerly  seeking  to  find 
an  opportunity  for  dealing  a  home  thrust,  whilst  the  dragoon, 
with  a  cool,  steady  eye,  followed  all  the  movements  of  his  im 
petuous  antagonist.  At  last  they  close  in  earnest.  A  blow, 
a  parry,  and  a  thrust  follow  close  on  each  other.  The  Texan 
had  slashed  the  dragoon's  shoulder,  so  that  the  blood  began  to 
flow,  which  aroused  a  cheer  from  the  Texans  looking  on,  but, 


306  WAK    PICTUEKS. 

at  the  same  moment,  the  former  received  a  back  stroke  which 
cut  through  the  sleeve  and  flesh  of  his  left  arm.  The  Texan 
now  backed  his  horse  like  lightning,  and  his  fellow  troopers 
rushed  forward  to  look  at  his  wound  ;  but  without  paying  any 
heed  to  his  hurt  he  again  dashed  at  his  opponent  and  made  a 
lunge  at  his  breast.  The  dragoon  parried  it  with  great  dex 
terity,  and  at  the  same  time  let  fly  a  quarte  which  caused  a 
slashing  wound  in  the  Texan's  back.  The  latter  spurred  on 
his  horse  to  a  little  distance,  and  before  I  could  take  means  to 
prevent  the  cowardly  act,  he  took  out  a  pistol  and  deliberately 
shot  the  brave  dragoon,  who  fell  dead  from  his  saddle.  The 
bullet  had  entered  just  below  the  region  of  the  heart. 

Much  moved  at  his  fate,  I  ordered  a  grave  to  be  dug  to 
receive  the  remains  of  the  brave  German  trooper.  We  buried 
him  in  his  regimentals,  with  his  trusty  sword  on  his  breast, 
and  his  pistols  by  his  side.  This  sad  act  having  been  per 
formed,  I  sent  for  the  Texan,  and  after  reprimanding  him 
severely  for  his  cowardly  conduct,  I  ordered  him  to  seek  ser 
vice  in  some  other  corps,  telling  him  that  I  could  not  think  of 
allowing  a  fellow  of  his  stamp  to  remain  in  my  regiment. 
The  Texan  scowled  at  me  with  his  wild  catlike  eyes,  and  mut 
tering  a  curse,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away. 

Touched  as  1  was  by  the  death  of  the  brave  dragoon,  it 
was  quite  a  relief  to  my  feelings  when  the  trumpets  gave  the 
signal  to  mount.  We  now  started  at  a  good  trot  toward  the 
Pamunky  river,  where,  according  to  the  reports  of  our  scouts, 
we  might  expect  to  find  plenty  of  booty  without  encountering 
much  hindrance  from  hostile  forces,  inasmuch  as  M'Clellan. 
was  under  the  impression  that  M'Dowell  was  posted  here. 
M'Clellan  could  hardly  have  imagined  that  the  latter,  as  soon 
as  he  was  informed  of  our  advance,  had  withdrawn  his  out 
posts,  and  had  abandoned  the  field  to  us. 

We  reached  the  Pamunky  river  without  difficulty,  driving 
back  the  few  troops  left  in  charge  of  the  stores.  As  soon  as 
this  was  accomplished,  a  portion  of  our  men  were  set  to  work 


STU AST'S    RETURN  TO   RICHMOND.  307 

to  destroy  the  storehouses  and  the  vessels  on  the  river,  which 
were  soon  in  a  blaze;  whilst  another  detachment  was  em 
ployed  in  driving  in  the  numerous  horses  and  mules  that  were 
grazing  here.  By  nightfall  the  work  of  destruction  was  com 
pleted,  and  we  advanced  toward  the  York  Eiver  Railway  to 
break  up  that  line.  Sending  the  artillery  and  captured  stores 
forward,  we  continued  our  march,  after  a  short  rest,  along 
the  enemy's  lines,  they  not  having  the  slightest  notion  of  our 
proximity  to  them.  About  ten  o'clock  at  night  we  reached 
the  York  River  Railway,  and  our  men  were  just  about  to  be 
gin  the  work  of  tearing  up  the  rails,  when  we  suddenly  heard, 
in*the  stillness  of  the  night,  the  sound  of  an  approaching  train. 
Colonel  Stuart  ordered  his  men,  who  were  armed  with  double- 
barrelled  rifles,  to  draw  up  at  both  sides  of  the  railway,  and 
to  send  a  volley  into  the  train  as  it  came  up.  This  was  done ; 
but,  happily,  as  I  afterward  learned,  with  no  effect.  The 
engine  driver  put  on  increased  speed,  and  the  train  glided  on 
ward,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  In  a  short  time  we  dis 
tinctly  heard  the  sound  of  approaching  cavalry,  and  our 
vedettes  came  hurrying  back  with  the  information  that  large 
bodies  of  the  enemy's  troops  were  advancing  in  our  direction. 
There  was  no  time  to  lose  now  in  crossing  the  Chickahominy. 
This  operation  we  succeeded  in  performing,  after  a  smart 
ride ;  and  we  had  just  reached  the  opposite  bank,  when  the 
advancing  enemy  came  in  view. 

On  reaching  Richmond,  our  troopers  met  with  an  enthu 
siastic  reception ;  and  the  information  which  we  brought  to 
General  Lee  was  of  the  utmost  importance,  as  it  confirmed 
the  report  that  had  already  gained  belief,  of  General  M' Dow- 
ell's  inactivity.  General  Lee  accordingly  came  to  the  safe 
conclusion  that  he  might  now  concentrate  his  whole  force 
against  M'Clellan,  who  was  totally  ignorant  of  the  critical 
position  in  which  he  was  placed.  With  commendable  pru 
dence,  however,  he  had  commenced  moving  his  front  a  little 
more  to  the  north  of  Richmond,  and  concentrated  his  forces 


308  WAR   PICTUBES. 

so  as  to  occupy  a  more  defensive  position  until  the  expected 
reinforcements  of  Generals  Burnside  and  Pope  should  reach 
him.  Cautious  and  skilful  as  was  this  step  on  the  part  of 
M'Clcllan,  General  Lee  was  not  the  man  to  lose  so  golden  an 
opportunity  of  defeating  the  enemy  as  soon  as  he  should,  by 
the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  be  enabled  to  make  the  attempt. 
With  what  success  he  achieved  his  object  will  be  seen  in  the 
succeeding  "  War  Picture." 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

THE   SEVEN    DAYS'  BATTLE  BEFORE   RICHMOND  :  JUNE  25TH  TO 
JULY  IST,  1862. 

I. — A  COUNCIL  OF  WAR. 

General  Robert  E.  Lee,  our  General-in-Ghief— His  active  preparations  for  the  im 
pending  struggle— Holds  a  council  of  war  :  officers  present— Relative  position 
of  the  hostile  armies. 

II. — FIRST  DAY  :  COMMENCEMENT  OF  OPERATIONS. 

"Stonewall"  Jackson's  flank  march  to  Hanover  Court  House — Drives  back 
M'Dowell's  troops — M'Clellan's  counter  manoeuvre — Jackson's  orders  to  Gene 
ral  Branch  ill  executed,  rendering  Hill's  attack  on  M' Call's  division  at  Mechan- 
icsville  indecisive. 

III.— SECOND  DAT  :  BATTLE  OF  GAINES'S  MILL. 

Heavy  Confederate  cannonade — Retreat  of  the  enemy  from  Mechanicsville — Pass 
age  of  the  Chickahominy — Arrival  of  troops  under  Longstreet  and  Hill — 
M'Dowell's  inactivity— Battle  of  Gainers  Mill— Severe  and  obstinate  fighting  . 
bravery  of  the  Irish  brigade— Hideous  aspect  of  the  battle  field— Sufferings  of 
the  wounded  aggravated  by  neglect — Inadequate  preparations  at  Richmond  for 
their  care. 

IV.— THIRD  AND  FOURTH  DAYS  :  BATTLE  OF  PEACH  ORCHARD. 

Defeat  of  the  Federals  by  "  Stonewall"  Jackson — Their  severe  losses — M'Clellan's 

retreat  compared  with  that  of  Radetzky  in  Lombardy,  in  1848 — Arrival  of  Jeff. 

Davis  on  the  field  of  battle— Cool  reception  given  to  him— The  enemy's  strong 

intrenchments — Orderly  retreat  of  the  Federal  army. 

V. — FIFTH  DAY  :  BATTLE  NEAR  WHITE  OAK  SWAMP. 

Strength  of  the  Federal  position — The  Confederates  compelled  to  retire — Murder 
ous  fire  of  the  Federal  troops— Wilcox's  brigade  nearly  cut  to  pieces— General 
Lee's  anxiety  as  to  the  issue  of  the  contest. 

VI.— SIXTH  DAY  :  BATTLE  AT  FRAZER'S  FARM. 

Destructive  artillery  fire— M'Clellan  receives  reinforcements— Alarm  of  the  Con 
federate  officials  at  Richmond — The  fighting  resumed — Heroism  of  General  Hill 


310  WAR    PICTURES. 

and  his  troops — Desperate  nature  of  the  struggle  :  no.  quarter — Anecdote  of 
Major  Peyton  and  his  eon— Critical  position  of  the  Confederates— Tardy  arrival 
of  reinforcements  under  Magruder, 

VII. —SEVENTH  DAY  :  BATTLE  OF  MALVERN  HILL. 

Magruder  opens  the  battle  before  daybreak,  and  drives  the  enemy  to  Malvern  Hill 
— Fearful  effect  of  the  fire  of  268-pounders  from  the  Federal  ships— M'Clellan 
holds  his  ground  firmly  until  midnight,  and  succeeds  in  withdrawing  his  shat 
tered  forces  to  James  river — Reflections  on  his  character  and  talents  as  a  com 
mander. 


A    COUNCIL    OF   WAR. 

NOTHING  had  escaped  the  keen  perception  of  General  Lee, 
and  he  consequently  made  his  preparations  for  the  execution 
of  his  plans  so  effectually  as  to  insure  success,  provided  the 
troops  did  their  duty  thoroughly.  Once  more,  accompa 
nied  only  by  his  aide-de-camps,  he  visited  the  most  distant 
outposts  ;  again  he  inspected  each  separate  brigade,  each  forti 
fied  post — in  short  every  position,  before  he  proceeded  to  put 
his  comprehensive  measures  in  force. 

All  the  available  troops  from  the  interior  of  the  country 
had  been  collected  together ;  and  besides  the  significance  of 
this  fact,  everything  indicated  that  preparations  were  making 
for  a  desperate  struggle. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  another  great  council  of  war  was 
held,  at  which  nearly  every  man  of  note  in  the  Confederate 
army  was  present.  There  stood  the  general-in-chief,  Lee, 
calm  and  dignified,  greeting  with  a  friendly  smile  his  col 
leagues  as  they  approached  him,  and  for  each  of  whom  he 
had  already  cut  out  his  work.  With  a  keen  glance  he  sur 
veyed  the  countenance  of  each  officer  separately,  as  if  he 
wished  to  impress  the  features  of  all  upon  his  memory ;  with 
the  feeling  that  he  expected  much  from  these  men,  whom,  per 
haps,  he  should  never  behold  together  again.  By  his  side 
stood  conspicuously  the  portly  figure  of  Colonel  Baldwin ;  on 
his  left,  the  eye  of  the  spectator  rested  upon  the  thoughtful 


COMMENCEMENT    OF    OPERATIONS.  311 

face  of  "  Stonewall "  Jackson,  the  idol  of  his  men,  who  was 
twitching  the  hilt  of  his  sword  in  a  nervous  manner,  as  if  the 
room  was  too  narrow  to  hold  him,  and  as  if  he  longed  to  be 
in  the  open  air  again  at  the  head  of  his  columns.  A  little  on 
one  side  were  the  two  Hills ;  in  front  of  them  stood  the  vete- 
ran  General  Wise,  with  his  eager,  animated  look.  Further  tc 
the  right  was  a  separate  group,  consisting  of  Generals  Huger, 
Longstreet,  Anderson,  Whiting,  Ripley,  Branch,  and  Magru- 
der.  As  soon  as  all  the  officers  invited  to  the  council  had  ar 
rived,  General  Lee  explained  his  plan  of  operations ;  pointing 
out  to  each  the  special  duty  he  had  to  perform.  The  scheme 
was  admirably  conceived  ;  with  well  combined  action,  a  bril 
liant  success  seemed  certain.  As  soon  as  the  sitting  was  over, 
all  the  officers  shook  hands,  and  each  of  them  left  for  his  own 
post  in  order  to  proceed  to  active  work. 

If  we  consider  the  relative  position  of  the  two  armies,  the 
advantage  was  unquestionably  on  the  side  of  the  Confederates ; 
for  General  M'Clellan's  army,  posted  upon  both  banks  of  the 
Chickahominy,  was  too  much  extended,  and  had  moreover 
great  difficulties  to  contend  with  in  mano3uvring,  owing  to  the 
numerous  ravines  which  intersect  the  ground.  M'Clellan's 
front  line  was  more  than  twenty  miles  in  extent,  forming  a 
semicircle,  which  extended  from  James  river  to  Ashland  and 
Richmond ;  while  another  portion  of  his  army  had  crossed 
the  Chickahominy  'from  Meadow  Bridge  to  Bottom  Bridge, 
and  occupied  the  banks  of  the  river,  which  had  been  fortified ; 
so  that,  notwithstanding  its  immense  extent,  his  army  pos 
sessed  a  good  line  of  defence  to  fall  back  upon. 


II. 

. 

COMMENCEMENT    OF    OPERATIONS. 

SCARCELY  had  dawn  broken  on  the  26th  of  June,  when 
Stonewall "  Jackson's  numerous  forces  began  moving  in  a 


312  WAR    PICTURES. 

direction  parallel  with  the  railway  line.  After  a  forced  march, 
they  reached  Ashland,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  were  General 
McDowell's  outposts,  about  which,  however,  Jackson  gave 
himself  no  further  trouble  than  to  send  a  few  detachments  of 
cavalry  to  drive  them  back  upon  Eredericksburg.  After 
Jackson  had  allowed  his  troops  the  rest  they  needed,  he  rap 
idly  continued  his  march  upon  Hanover  Court  House,  upon 
gaining  which  point,  he  drove  back  the  enemy's  troops.  As 
soon  as  M'Clellan  was  informed  of  Jackson's  movements,  and 
was  made  aware  of  the  dangerous  position  this  manoeuvre  had 
placed  him  in,  he  adopted  the  best  measures  in  his  power  to 
prevent  Jackson's  further  advance  upon  his  line  of  communi 
cations.  He  forthwith  ordered  one  of  his  most  active  officers, 
General  Fitz  John  Porter,  to  take  with  him  two  divisions,  as 
well  as  the  reserve  of  the  regulars,  and  with  this  force  to  hold 
their  ground  against  the  threatened  attacks  of  Jackson  and  of 
General  Hill. 

General  Jackson's  corps  d'armee,  strengthened  by  the  ad 
dition  of  Whiting's  division,  now  consisted  of  about  30,000 
men,  and  he  was  therewith  in  a  position  to  carry  out  opera 
tions  on  a  large  scale.  As  soon  as  he  had  crossed  the  Chick- 
ahominy,  he  sent  two  brigades,  under  the  command  of  General 
Branch,  to  operate  between  the  two  rivers,  Pamunky  and 
Chickahominy,  with  instructions  to  advance  as  rapidly  as  pos 
sible,  and  to  endeavor  strenuously  to  overcome  all  obstacles, 
so  as  to  give  full  scope  for  the  free  action  of  the  attacking 
army  of  the  Confederates  at  Mechanicsville — Jackson  himself 
purposing  to  advance  toward  Coal  Harbor. 

It  happened,  unluckily,  that  General  Branch,  as  had  oc 
curred  on  a  former  occasion,  proved  timid  and  undecided. 
As  long  as  he  acted  directly  under  General  Jackson's  com 
mand,  he  obeyed  his  instructions  to  tne  letter,  and  his  courage 
never  drooped ;  but  when  out  of  his  sight,  he  became  nervous 
and  unresolved  how  to  act.  This  was  one  of  his  unfortunate 
days — he  hesitated  :  delaying  his  onward  march  from  hour  to 


BATTLE   OF   GAINES'S   MILL.  313 

hour,  instead  of  advancing  boldly  as  Jackson  had  distinctly 
ordered  him. 

In  the  mean  time,  General  Hill  (I.)  vigorously  attacked 
the  Federal  division  under  General  M'Call,  in  front  of  Me- 
chanicsville.  But  notwithstanding  all  his  efforts,  M'Call  held 
his  ground  ;  General  Hill  then  sent  his  aide-de-camp  to  order 
up  Branch's  brigade,  but  in  this  he  was  foiled,  for  the  latter 
did  not  make  his  appearance  upon  the  battle  field  until  night 
had  put  an  end  to  the  combat. 

III. 

SECOND    DAY.        BATTLE    OF    GAINES's    MILL. 

BY  daybreak  on  the  27th  June,  our  artillery  opened  a 
very  heavy  fire  upon  the  enemy's  front,  with  such  effect,  that 
when  they  observed  General  Branch's  brigade  advancing  to 
attack  their  right  wing,  they  relinquished  their  position  before 
Mechanicsville,  and  fell  back,  fighting,  upon  their  second  line 
of  defence.  Just  at  the  moment  we  had  effected  the  passage 
of  the  Chickahominy,  General  Longstreet's  splendid  corps 
d'armee,  consisting  of  well-proved  troops  from  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  came  up,  as  did  also  the  division  of  General  Hill 
(II.).  The  order  was  now  given  for  the  whole  force  to  ad 
vance.  The  divisions  of  Hill  (II.),  Anderson,  and  Whiting, 
forming  the  centre,  advanced  upon  Coal  Harbor,  whilst  Jack 
son,  Hill  (I.),  and  Longstreet,  forming  the  left  wing,  marched 
along  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy ;  and  Magruder,  who 
commanded  the  right  wing,  was  ordered  to  remain  on  the  de 
fensive,  in  consequence  of  the  swampy  state  of  the  ground. 
General  Wise  assumed  the  command  of  Fort  Darling,  on  the 
James  River.  All  these  formidable  operations,  in  connection 
with  the  two  former  engagements,  must  have  opened  the  eyes 
of  General  M'Clellan  as  to  our  intention  of  quitting  our  un 
comfortable  position  at  Richmond,  so  that  we  might  be  en* 
14 


314  WAR   PICTURES. 

abled  to  act  with  greater  scope.  He  ought,  therefore,  to  have 
immediately  ordered  M'Dowell's  corps  d'armee,  which  had 
been  lying  inactive  for  four  months  before  Fredericksburg,  to 
make  a  demonstration  on  the  Richmond  road.  Had  he  done 
so,  the  operation  would  have  prevented  General  Jackson's 
flank  march. 

But  General  M'Clellan  had  been  deceived  in  his  estimate 
of  M'Dowell's  generalship,  for,  notwithstanding  all  the  in 
formation  he  had  received  of  our  combined  manoeuvre,  the 
latter  remained  unpardonably  inactive  and  indifferent  in  his 
own  safe  position,  thereby  exposing  M'Clellan's  army,  which 
had  suffered  severely  from  sickness  as  well  as  from  desertion, 
to  our  overpowering  attacks.  ^ 

When  General  Lee  was  fully  assured  of  M'Dowell's  in 
ertness,  he  immediately  ordered  a  general  and  simultaneous 
attack  on  the  whole  of  M'Clellan's  lines.  As  soon  as  the 
news  was  announced  of  General  Jackson's  arrival  at  Coal 
Harbor,  the  Commander-in-Chief,  accompanied  by  his  staff, 
proceeded  to  Gaines's  Mill,  and  ordered  the  divisions  of  An 
derson,  Hill  (I.),  Longstreet,  and  Pickett  to  commence  the 
attack.  Before  our  columns  were  in  movement,  the  roar  of 
cannon  on  our  left  wing  informed  us  that  Jackson  had  com 
menced  operations  in  that  quarter.  This  belief  caused  the 
greatest  enthusiasm  amongst  our  troops. 

M'Clellan's  position  on  this  day  was  a  most  peculiar  one. 
With  one  portion  of  his  army  he  had  crossed  the  Chickahom- 
iny,  southward,  and  faced  General  Magruder's  force,  whilst 
the  main  body  of  his  army  was  posted  more  to  the  rear  and 
closer  to  the  railway,  at  which  point  he  was  firmly  resolved 
to  give  battle.  His  arrangements  displayed  much  skill  and 
circumspection.  The  different  troops  took  up  their  respective 
positions  with  remakable  precison,  firmly  awaiting  our  onset. 
This  was  the  first  time  that  the  two  hostile  armies  stood  oppo 
site  to  each  other  on  an  almost  equal  footing  as  regards  num 
bers.  The  Federals  hnd,  however  the  advantage  of  a  better 


BATTLE   OF   GAIXES'S    MILL.  315 

covered  position,  whilst  our  troops  were  fully  exposed  to  their 
fire.  The  attack  was  opened  by  the  columns  of  Hill  (I.),  An 
derson,  and  Pickett.  With  a  loud  cheer  these  troops  advanced 
amidst  a  tremendous  fire  from  the  enemy.  Hundreds  fell 
from  the  bullets  of  the  foe ;  but  this  did  not  daunt  our  men ; 
they  advanced  till  they  came  face  to  face,  eye  to  eye,  bayonet 
to  bayonet,  and  then  a  terrible  conflict  ensued.  A  Federal 
brigade,  commanded  by  Meagher,  and  consisting  chiefly  of 
Irishmen,  offered  the  most  heroic  resistance.  After  a  severe 
struggle  our  men  gave  way,  and  retired  in  great  disorder.  At 
this  critical  moment,  foaming  at  the  mouth  with  rage,  and 
without  his  hat,  General  Cobb  hastened  up,  sword  in  hand, 
with  his  legion,  followed  by  the  19th  North  Carolina,  and 
14th  Virginia  regiments,  and  renewed  the  attack.  But  the 
efforts  of  these  troops  were  in  vain :  the  brave  Irishmen  held 
their  ground  with  a  determination  which  excited  the  admira 
tion  even  of  our  own  officers.  The  remnant  of  Cobb's  broken 
legion  then  fell  back.  The  19th  regiment  had  lost  six  ensigns, 
and  most  of  the  superior  officers  were  struck  down.  Gene 
rals  Hill  (I.)  and  Anderson  again  brought  up  their  men  to 
the  attack,  and  the  fight  was  renewed  with  greater  fury  than 
before,  some  of  the  regiments  exceeding  all  their  former 
deeds. 

Our  soldiers  displayed  a  stoical  disregard  of  death  that 
placed  them  on  an  equal  footing  with  veteran  troops,  for  de 
spite  the  sanguinary  harvest  which  death  this  day  reaped  in 
our  ranks,  no  kind  of  disorder  ensued, 'and  it  should  be  re 
membered  that  this  fearless  resolution  was  evinced  not  only 
by  the  more  experienced  portion  of  our  troops,  but  by  many 
regiments  that  had  never  been  under  fire  before.  It  is,  how 
ever,  due  to  our  opponents  to  admit  that  they  sustained  the 
shock  of  our  incessant  attacks  with  undaunted  bravery.  Al 
though  some  of  their  brigades  had  been  fighting  from  four 
o'clock  till  eight  P.  M.,  they  had  continued  to  stand  firm,  and 
it  was  only  when  they  found,  at  the  last  named-hour,  Jackson 


316  WAR    PICTURES. 

was  about  to  attack  them  in  the  rear  that  they  abandoned 
their  positions.  Although  their  loss  must  have  been  very  severe 
they  retired  in  good  order,  with  drums  beating  and  colors 
flying,  taking  their  slightly  wounded  men  and  their  baggage 
along  with  them  ;  and  when  hotly  pressed  in  pursuit  by  Da 
vis  and  Wickham's  cavalry  regiments,  they  faced  round  and 
repulsed  them. 

Night  now  threw  her  sable  veil  over  the  field  of  slaughter ; 
it  seemed,  indeed,  as  if  nature  was  anxious  to  conceal  from  the 
eyes  of  the  living  the  harrowing  spectacle  of  death's  doings. 
Gradually,  all  had  become  still,  save  the  faint  echo  of  a  distant 
cannonade  on  our  left  flank ;  but  that  too  presently  subsided. 
The  majority  of  our  soldiers,  overcome  by  the  exertions  of  so 
obstinate  a  contest,  sank  down  helplessly  upon  the  ground,  to 
catch  a  little  fitful  rest.  Although  1  was  also  so  fatigued  that  I 
could  scarcely  Keep  my  seat  on  horseback,  nevertheless,  ac 
companied  by.  one  of  my  aide-de-camps,  I  rode  to  that  part  of 
the  battle  field  where  the  struggle  had  been  fiercest.  The 
havoc  of  war  that  was  here  noticeable,  even  in  the  gloom  of 
night,  was  fearful  to  contemplate.  Whole  ranks  of  the  enemy's 
dead  lay  extended  on  the  ground  they  had  occupied  at  the  out 
set  of  the  battle.  The  number  of  wounded  too,  was  propor 
tionately  great,  while  their  groans  and  cries  for  help  were 
audible  on  all  sides,  and  were  truly  heartrending.  In  by 
gone  days  I  had  been  on  many  a  battle  field  in  Italy  and 
Hungary ;  but  I  confess  that  I  never  witnessed  so  hideous  a 
picture  of  human  slaughter  and  horrible  suffering. 

The  preparations  for  removing  the  wounded  were  on  too 
small  a  scale,  and  the  men  detached  for  this  service  not  suffi 
ciently  numerous  for  their  melancholy  work  ;  and  as  may  be 
supposed,  the  surgeons  had  more  on  their  hands  than  they 
were  able  to  accomplish.  By  dint  of  considerable  trouble, 
and  with  the  aid  of  some  humane  officers,  I  succeeded  event 
ually  in  getting  matters  into  a  little  better  order.  Luckily,  I 
came  upon  some  of  the  ambulances  left  behind  by  the  enemy,  and 


WANT   OF   HOSPITALS   AT  KICHMOND.  317 

gladly  made  use  of  them  to  convey  the  wounded  to  Richmond. 
Whilst  we  were  performing  this  sad  .task,  many  a  poor  fellow 
breathed  his  last,  rendering  all  our  efforts  to  succor  him  una 
vailing.  By  midnight  I  had  the  first  train  of  conveyances 
ready,  viz.,  sixty  vehicles  of  various  kinds,  containing  200  men, 
all  severely  wounded,  and  with  great  labor  I  got  this  train  of 
carriages  into  town.  At  the  first  hospital  I  came  to  I  was  re 
fused  admittance.  "  All  right,"  was  the  curt  but  fruitless  reply 
to  my  request  for  admission ;  "  pass  on  to  the  next  hospital."  At 
the  next  hospital  I  met  with  the  same  reply.  A  friend  then  told 
me  that  if  I  would  wai*  a  little  he  could  help  me,  as  he  would  turn 
a  large  building  he  used  for  storing  up  tobacco  into  a  hospital.  I 
had  therefore,  no  alternative  but  to  wait  an  hour  and  a  half  with 
my  load  of  dying  men  in  the  street.  I  did  my  best  to  alle 
viate  their  sufferings  by  procuring  them  water,  tea,  and 
other  refreshments ;  but  the  late  hour  of  the  night  and  the 
confusion  in  the  town  greatly  impeded  my  efforts. 

At  last  the  temporary  hospital  was  ready,  and  a  sad  hole 
it  was  for  such  a  purpose:  an  open  warehouse,  unprovided 
with  doors  or  windows,  and  with  merely  a  few  planks  to 
serve  for  beds  for  the  dying  soldiers.  On  this  memorable 
day  our  brave  fellows  had  to  endure  everything :  hunger, 
thirst,  and  heat,  besides  facing  death  in  its  most  fearful  forms ; 
and  now,  wounded  at  the  very  threshold  of  the  dwellings  of 
their  own  friends,  whose  rights  and  property  they  had  been 
fighting  for,  we  beheld  them  left  to  die  uncared  for  in  an 
open  shed ! 

And  yet  this  city  numbered  as  many  as  40,000  inhabit 
ants ;  it  contained,  moreover,  many  churches,  admirably 
adapted  for  hospitals  on  such  emergencies,  and  was  well  pro 
vided  with  clergy.  Yet  no  church  door  was  opened,  no  min-* 
ister  of  religion  came  forward  to  soothe  the  last  moments  of 
the  dying  soldier.  With  mixed  feelings  of  sadness  and  indig 
nation,  I  gave  the  order  to  place  the  wounded  men  inside  the 
wretched  building,  and,  having  bestowed  a  parting  look  on 


318  WAE  PICTURES. 

the  ill-cared-for  sufferers,  I  mounted  my  horse  snd  hastened 
back  to  rejoin  my  regiment. 


IV. 


THIRD  AND  FOURTH  DAYS.   BATTLE  OF  PEACH  ORCHARD. 

GENERAL  JACKSON  had  executed  his  flank  march  without 
much  interruption  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  ;  and  as  soon  as 
he  reached  the  post  assigned  to  him  he  led  his  columns  to  the 
attack.  Though  much  tired  after  their  fatiguing  march,  these 
"  Sansculottes "  attacked  the  enemy  with  indomitable  spirit, 
overpowering  all  resistance.  Like  a  whirlwind  General  Stuart 
swept  all  before  him  with  his  cavalry  ;  while  Jackson's  men 
seemed  to  be  frantic;  throwing  away  their  muskets  and 
drawing  their  bowie  knives,  they  fell  with  savage  fury  upon 
their  victims.  The  carnage  which  ensued  was  terrible,  and, 
although  the  enemy  attempted,  in  their  desperation,  to  make 
a  stand,  they  were  completely  overthrown.  Their  flight  be 
came  a  rout,  the  men  throwing  away  their  muskets  and  run 
ning  for  their  lives. 

For  a  moment  it  was  supposed  that  the  defeat  of  M'Clel 
lan's  army  was  complete;  two  of  the  enemy's  generals  of 
brigade  had  already  been  abandoned  by  their  men,  when,  at 
this  most  critical  moment  for  the  Federal  army,  General 
Heintzelman  made  his  appearance  with  his  division,  and  re 
newed  the  combat.  With  equal  bravery  and  skill  he  succeed 
ed  at  first  in  warding  off  our  attacks,  and  thus  enabled  the 
defeated  brigades  to  reform,  but  it  was  of  no  avail :  the  flight 
of  the  Federal  troops  ere  long  became  general. 

General  Heintzelman  was  compelled,  in  his  turn,  to  give 
ground,  and  to  fall  back  on  the  Chickahominy,  leaving 
all  the  wounded,  baggage,  stores,  &c.,  of  the  Federal  forces 
in  our  hands.  General  Jackson  might  well  exclaim,  "  Enough 
for  to-day."  No  other  general  of  the  Confederate  army  had 


BATTLE  OF  PEACH  ORCHARD.  313 

achieved  the  task  allotted  to  him  with  so  much  celerity  and 
success. 

In  this  battle  the  Federals  lost  2  brigadier-generals,  115 
staff  and  other  officers,  and  3,000  men,  as  well  as  their  bag 
gage.     In  a  strategical  point  of  view  the  success  of  Jackson 
was   of  far  greater  importance,  as  General  M'Clellan  was 
thereby  completely  cut  off  from  his  line  of  retreat.     Conse 
quently,  when  Jackson's  success  became  known  at  our  head 
quarters,  a  firm  conviction  was  entertained  that  the  whole  of 
M'Clellan's  army  was  lost.     The  exultation  this  gave  rise  to 
was  extraordinary.     On  joining  my  regiment  early  in  the 
morning,  I  found  my  brave  troopers  indulging  in  the  greatest 
excitement,  as  each  and  all  of  them  were  anxious  to  take  part 
in  the  hoped-for  capture  of  M'Clellan  and  his  army  in  the 
coming  battle.     I  could  not  avoid  shrugging  my  shoulders 
when  the  officers  of  the  regiment  explained  their  views  to  me. 
I  well  remembered  what  occurred  in  Italy  in  1848,  at  the  time 
of  Radetzky's  retreat.     It  was  a  parallel  case.     The  Italians 
had  then  prepared  in  their  imagination  comfortable  quarters 
for  the  brave  old  Austrian  and  his  army,  and  the  Podesta  of 
Milan  felt  so  confident  of  victory  and  its  attendant  conse 
quences,  that  he  proceeded  to   the  vanguard  of  the  Italian 
army,  in  order  that  he  might  receive  with  due  ceremony  the 
conquered  hero.     But  by  that  very  time  the  latter  had  over 
come  every  difficulty  in  his  path,  and  had  quietly  retreated  to 
his  strongholds  of  Mantua  and  Verona. 

I  had  scarcely  rejoined  my  regiment  when  I  received  the 
order  to  advance  with  the  whole  line.  I  looked  sadly  at  our 
once  fine  division.  Many  of  the  regiments  were  terribly  cut 
up.  Some,  whose  full  complement,  like  that  of  my  own,  was 
1,100  men,  could  not  muster  more  than  300  or  400  efficient 
men;  nay,  the  7th  Georgia  and  21st  North  Carolina  regi 
ments  could  only  muster  180  men  each.  The  number  of 
officers  placed  hors  de  combat  was  proportionally  great.  In 
deed  so  palpable  was  this  that  I  had  not  the  courage  to  inquire 


320  WAK    PICTURES. 

after  many  a  missing  friend,  not  doubting  that  he  had  met 
with  a  soldier's  death  on  the  field  of  battle. 

Just  as  our  division  had  begun  to  move,  Jefferson  Davis 
made  his  appearance,  accompanied  by  Colonels  Davis,  John 
ston,  and  Smith,  of  the  cavalry,  and  by  the  Secretary  of  War, 
Randolph,  with  members  of  his  Military  Cabinet.  The  con 
queror  of  13uena  Vista  did  not,  however,  meet  with  an  enthu 
siastic  reception,  as  with  a  cold  eye  and  rigid  bearing  he  rode 
along  the  front  of  the  regiments,  addressing,  occasionally,  a 
word  of  recognition  to  some  personal  acquaintance. 

As  soon  as  our  division  had  succeeded  in  wending  its  way 
through  the  chaos  of  dismounted  guns,  tumbrels,  dead  and 
wounded  men,  and  reached  the  open  ground  which  allowed 
room  for  action,  we  were  astonished  to  find  in  the  enemy's 
positions,  of  which  we  now  took  possession,  that  nothing  had 
been  left  but  a  few  broken  weapons  and  some  baggage.  They 
had  taken  everything  else  away  with  them  in  their  retreat ; 
the  number  of  dead  bodies  alone  denoted  how  fierce  the  strug 
gle  had  been.  The  defences  were  of  immense  strength,  and 
of  much  greater  solidity  than  we  had  imagined.  We  received 
orders  to  proceed  as  quickly  as  possible ;  to  watch  the  ene 
my's  movements,  and  follow  on  his  heels  ;  and  we  had  scarce 
ly  passed  the  White  House  when  our  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  dense  column  of  smoke,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the 
right  of  the  railway,  apparently  rising  from  the  forest.  Ap 
proaching  cautiously  in  that  direction,  we  discovered  a  huge 
burning  pyramid.  The  Federal  general  had  ordered  every 
thing  that  could  not  be  taken  away  to  be  piled  up  and  burnt. 
Property  to  the  amount  of  millions  of  dollars  was  thus  con 
signed  to  the  flames,  that  it  might  not  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  victors.  Our  men  rushed  to  the  burning  pile  in  order  to 
save  all  they  could  from  the  flames. 

Hundreds  of  casks  of  preserved  meats,  coffee,  sugar,  rice, 
wine,  including  even  champagne,  and  similar  delicacies,  with 
which  the  Federal  army  was  amply  provided,  and  of  which 


BATTLE   OF   WHITE   OAK   SWAMP.  321 

we  Southerners  scarcely  knew  the  names,  were  here  piled  up  for 
destruction.  But  the  enemy  had  done  their  work  so  skilfully 
that  our  poor  fellows  managed  to  get  but  little  out  of  the  fire. 
Fortunately,  however,  the  whole  place  was  strewed  with 
serviceable  cloth  cloaks,  which  proved  most  useful  to  our  ill- 
clad  troops.  Everything  denoted  that  M'Clellan  had  retreat 
ed  in  good  order,  and  that  he  did  not  dream  of  capitulating  to 
his  enemy.  From  some  of  the  stragglers  of  his  army  we 
learnt  that  he  had  crossed  the  Chickahominy  with  his  whole 
force,  abandoning  his  former  plan  of  retreat,  and  had  taken 
the  direction  of  James  River,  probably  with  a  view  to  keep 
up  a  communication  with  his  flotilla.  I  accordingly  despatch 
ed  one  of  my  officers  with  this  information  to  General  Lee. 
Shortly  after  I  received  an  order  to  halt ;  and  just  then  the 
fine  divisions  of  Hill  (I.)  and  Longstreet  came  up  at  the 
double  quick,  in  order  to  give  the  coup  de  grace  to  the  sup 
posed  flying  enemy. 

V. 

FIFTH    DAY.       BATTLE    NEAR    WHITE    OAK     SWAMP. 

ABOUT  five  miles  from  Darbytown,  on  the  Newmarket 
road,  we  came  in  view  of  the  hostile  army,  which  had  taken 
up  an  admirable  position.  The  plain  here  is  grown  over  with 
thickets  of  fir  trees,  and  the  ground  is  so  very  uneven  and  ill- 
adapted  for  cavalry  movements  that  we  were  compelled  to 
remain  inactive. 

General  M'Clellan  had  taken  up  a  position  which  had 
Frazer's  farm  for  its  centre.  He  ordered  this  point  to  be  de 
fended  with  19  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance,  drew  his  best  troops 
together  there,  and  calmly  and  firmly  awaited  our  attack. 

It  was  of  vital  importance  to  us  to  drive  away  the  enemy 

from  the  vicinity  of  our  capital,  no  matter  at  what  sacrifice  : 

there  was  no  alternative.     But  M'Clellan  was  well  aware  of 

the  critical  position  in  which  he  also  was  placed.     Through 

14* 


322  WAR    PICTURES. 

the  folly  of  M'Dowell,  and  through  the  dilatory  conduct  of 
the  Federal  Secretary  of  War,  Stanton,  he  had  been  fairly 
left  in  the  lurch.  Many  other  generals  would,  perhaps, 
under  such  circumstances,  have  courted  death  in  the  turmoil 
of  battle.  But,  notwithstanding  the  immense  losses  he  had 
sustained  during  the  battles  of  the  last  four  days,  M'Clellan, 
like  a  good  soldier,  resolved  to  try  again  the  chances  of  war 
at  the  sword's  point. 

The  spirits  of  our  men,  excited  by  the  recent  fighting,  had 
become  almost  ungovernable.  No  sooner  was  the  enemy  in 
sight  than  they  fell  upon  them  furiously.  But  the  Federals 
were  undismayed,  and  received  the  attack  as  deliberately  as 
if  they  were  on  parade ;  while  the  batteries  in  their  centre, 
opening  a  terrific  fire  upon  our  advancing  troops,  caused  havoc 
and  confusion  in  our  ranks.  General  Lee,  seeing  this,  ordered 
up  all  the  troops  he  could  spare  to  their  support.  M'Clellan, 
however,  kept  up  such  an  incessant  fire  upon  every  column  as 
it  came  up  to  take  part  in  the  attack,  that  whole  files  of  our 
men  were  mowed  down  by  showers  of  grape.  The  scene  that 
then  ensued  is  almost  indescribable.  For  nearly  seven  hours 
did  the  battle  thus  fiercely  rage,  within  a  very  small  compass, 
without  either  party  gaining  an  inch  of  ground.  All  our 
reserves  were  engaged.  Wilcox's  brigade  was  almost  cut  to 
pieces ;  the  men  fell  on  all  sides,  and  cries  for  water  to  quench  the 
thirst  of  the  wounded  painfully  resounded  in  every  quarter ; 
but  there  were  no  springs  on  these  arid  plains  to  assuage  their 
thirsty  cravings. 

General  Lee,  looking  somewhat  disconcerted,  rode  along 
the  lines  of  the  shattered  regiments,  and  with  a  ht>arse  voice 
ordered  up  Magruder's  and  Wise's  brigades ;  and  we  then 
commenced  burying  our  dead.  In  a  few  words  he  directed 
General  Longstreet  what  position  he  was  to  occupy  on  the 
morrow,  and  a  moment  afterward  galloped  off  with  his  aide- 
de-camps  to  visit  the  other  brigades. 


BATTLE   AT  FRAZER'S  FARM.  323 

VI. 

SIXTH    DAY.       BATTLE    AT    FRAZER'S    FARM. 

DAWN  had  scarcely  broken  on  the  horizon  when  the  thun 
der  of  the  cannon  again  shook  the  earth.  A  battery  which 
General  Anderson  had  brought  up  during  the  night,  and 
stationed  much  closer  to  the  enemy's  lines,  was  discovered  by 
the  Federals,  and  was  terribly  mauled  by  their  rifled  cannon : 
every  shot  told,  and  the  splinters  flew  about  in  all  directions. 
In  a  short  time  five  guns  out  of  the  twelve  of  this  battery 
were  dismounted,  yet  the  officer  in  command  unflinchingly 
held  his  ground.  Meanwhile  our  columns  had  formed,  al 
though  the  men  were  weakened  through  insufficient  food. 
Wearied,  too,  as  they  were  by  the  exertions  of  the  previous 
days,  they  almost  staggered  as  they  marched,  but,  neverthe 
less,  were  not  disposed  to  shirk  the  stern  work  that  now  re 
mained  for  them  to  do.  When  the  increasing  light  rendered 
objects  more  discernible,  I  took  a  glance  at  the  enemy's  for 
mation,  and  noticed  with  no  little  anxiety  that,  from  the 
greater  massiveness  of  his  columns,  M'Clellan  must  have  re 
ceived  reinforcements  in  sufficient  strength  to  enable  him  to 
withdraw  his  wearied  men  from  the  front,  and  to  bring  fresh 
troops  to  bear  against  our  wornout  soldiers. 

General  Lee,  now  quite  convinced  of  the  critical  state  of 
affairs,  gave  orders  to  "  Stonewall "  Jackson  to  keep  his  corps 
in  readiness  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  army,  should  that 
contingency  arise.  Instructions  were  sent  to  Richmond, 
moreover,  that  proper  measures  should  be  taken  for  the 
prompt  removal,  if  needful,  of  all  State  property  from  the 
town.  Orders  were  then  given  to  the  divisions  of  Hill  (II.), 
Longstreet,  Anderson,  Cobb,  and  Whitticombe  to  advance  to 
the  attack. 

One  of  the  most  desperate  actions  now  commenced  which 


324  WAR    PICTURES. 

has  perhaps  ever  been  fought.  The  loss  we  suffered  on  this 
occasion  is  fearful  to  think  of.  Perceiving  the  havoc  his  ar 
tillery  was  making  among  our  men,  M'Clellan  brought  up 
considerable  forces  from  his  reserve,  and  with  these  troops 
poured  volley  after  volley  of  musketry  into  our  ranks.  Step 
by  step  his  troops  gained  ground,  till  at  length  some  of  our 
companies  threw  down  their  muskets  and  fled.  M'Clellan, 
taking  advantage  of  the  favorable  moment,  ordered  his  cav 
alry  to  move  on  our  flank.  Anderson  then,  rapidly  placing 
himself  at  the  head  of  three  of  our  horse  regiments,  bore  down 
furiously  upon  the  enemy's  squadrons.  The  charge  was  a 
brilliant  one.  With  a  defiant  hurrah  our  troopers  dashed 
upon  their  opponents,  and  such  was  the  dismay  produced 
among  them,  that,  without  allowing  us  time  to  try  the  tem 
per  of  our  blades,  the  hostile  cavalry  turned  tail  and  fled  igno- 
miniously.  But  it  was  impossible  to  follow  up  our  success 
in  face  of  the  enemy's  rifled  cannon,  and  we,  in  our  turn,  had 
to  fall  back  out  of  the  reach  of  the  murderous  fire  poured  into 
us.  The  enemy,  taking  courage  from  the  disorder  thus  oc 
casioned  in  our  ranks,  advanced  to  attack  us,  shouting  as  they 
approached,  "  On  to  Richmond ! "  These  vaunting  words 
rang  along  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  line,  and  when  they  be 
came  audible  to  us,  many  hardy  soldiers  who  had  successfully 
fought  our  foes  in  far-off  Missouri  and  in  the  plains  of  Arkan 
sas,  felt  their  hearts  swell  with  indignation.  After  six  days' 
hard  fighting — after  incessant  bloodshed — after  all  our  harass 
ing  toils  and  privations — all  now  seemed  lost !  A  feeling  of 
depression,  almost  amounting  to  a  panic,  now  took  possession 
of  the  minds  of  many.  For  a  moment  these  symptoms  were 
so  alarming  that  a  general  flight  appeared  imminent.  In  vain 
did  the  officers  of  the  staff  endeavor  to  rally  the  failing  spirit 
of  the  troops.  This  was  a  perilous  moment  for  the  Con 
federacy. 

In  this  desperate  state  of  affairs,  while  the  enemy  continued 
advancing  to  the  reiterated    shout  of  "On  to  Richmond!" 


MAJOE  PEYTON  AND   HIS   SON.  325 

General  Hill  brought  up  some  regiments  he  had  managed  to 
collect  for  the  purpose,  and,  seizing  the  flag  of  the  4th  North 
Carolina  regiment,  which  he  had  once  commanded,  exclaimed : 
"  If  you  will  not  follow  me,  I  will  seek  death  alone  !  "  In 
answer  to  this  powerful  appeal,  several  officers  rushed  forward 
to  shield  their  beloved  general  with  their  own  bodies,  while 
the  men  of  the  regiment  vehemently  shouted,  "  Hill,  lead  on 
your  North  Carolina  boys ! "  Cavalry  officers,  too,  were  seen 
to  dismount  and  to  take  the  vacant  places  of  infantry  officers 
who  had  fallen.  Hill  now  rushed  intrepidly  to  the  attack, 
followed  by  his  men,  in  whose  breasts  he  had  rekindled  a 
courage  amounting  to  exultation.  The  enemy  was  startled  at 
seeing  columns  that  but  a  few  moments  before  had  been  in 
full  flight  thus  reappear  in  fierce  array  to  renew  the  attack. 
Hill  fell  like  a  wounded  lion  upon  his  pursuers,  and  the  con 
flict  was  then  waged  chiefly  with  cold  steel,  for  there  was  no 
time  left  for  loading  and  firing.  The  animosity  with  which 
the  men  on  both  sides  fought  was  almost  diabolic ;  quarter 
was  not  thought  of,  the  bowie  knife  and  the  bayonet  did  the 
sanguinary  work.  The  son  sinks  dying  at  his  father's  feet — 
the  father  heeds  not  his  dying  child.  Yon  savagely  excited 
soldier  cares  not  that  his  brother  has  been  killed  within  a  few 
paces  of  him  ;  nor  do  the  most  intimate  friends,  in  this  scene 
of  unrestrained  butchery,  heed  the  last  groan  of  their  cherished 
comrades ;  all  the  bonds  of  human  nature  are  broken ;  one 
hideous  craving  alone  seeks  gratification — revenge  on  the  foe ! 
It  was  here  that  the  son  of  Major  Peyton,  a  lad  fifteen 
years  of  age,  called  to  his  father  to  help  him,  as  a  bullet  had 
smashed  both  his  legs.  "  I  will  help  you,"  replied  the  major, 
"  when  we  have  beaten  the  enemy.  I  have  other  sons  to  lead 
in  the  path  of  glory !  "  Then  shouting  "  Forward  !  "  he  him 
self  fell  only  a  few  yards  further  mortally  wounded.  Many 
deeds  of  heroic  bravery  were  performed  on  both  sides.  In 
deed,  it  would  be  difficult  to  point  to  any  page  in  military 
history  where  that  virtue  was  more  fully  displayed  than  in 


326  WAR    PJCTUKES. 

this  memorable  battle.  So  intense  was  the  animosity  that 
animated  the  contending  foes,  that  even  many  a  wounded  man 
lying  helpless  on  the  ground  would  strive  with  a  last  effort  to 
plunge  his  knife  into  the  breast  of  some  fallen  enemy  near 
him. 

General  Hill's  success  enabled  the  other  generals  to  rally 
and  reform  some  of  their  scattered  troops,  and,  in  a  short 
time,  by  such  means,  the  battle  was  renewed  along  the  whole 
line,  and  continued  to  rage  until  far  in  the  night.  It  was 
essential  to  our  chances  of  success  that  we  should  maintain 
the  fight  until  reinforcements  could  reach  us,  and  we  felt 
assured  that  the  enemy's  troops  were  quite  as  much  exhaust 
ed  as  our  own. 

By  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  the  divisions  of  Magruder. 
Wise,  and  Holmes  arrived,  and  took  up  a  position  in  our 
front.  Had  these  generals  performed  their  duties  with  ac 
tivity  and  care,  a  vast  deal  of  bloodshed  might  have  been 
spared,  and  the  enemy  would  have  been  driven  back  upon  his 
reserves  as  early  as  the  forenoon.  But,  unfortunately,  these 
three  divisions  arrived  just  seventeen  hours  too  late.  The 
generals  were  not  quite  certain  as  to  their  proper  line  of 
march',  and,  consequently,  their  columns  kept  crossing  and 
recrossing  each  other,  thus  causing  the  loss  of  much  precious 
time.  Nevertheless,  late  as  this  succor  was  in  reaching  us, 
the  shattered  remnant  of  our  army  owed  its  eventual  safety 
to  its  interposition. 

As  soon  as  the  three  divisions  in  question  had  gone  to  the 
front,  the  regiments  which  had  been  engaged  were  withdrawn, 
and  every  effort  was  used  to  reorganize  them,  and  to  recruit 
the  exhausted  strength  of  the  men  during  the  night  by  the 
much-needed  supplies  of  food.  Fortunately,  there  was  just 
then  no  lack  of  such  stores.  Proper  measures  were  taken, 
also,  to  remove  the  wounded  and  to  bury  the  dead. 


BATTLE   OF  MALVERN   HILL.  327 

VII. 

SEVENTH    DAY.       BATTLE    OF    MALVERN    HILL. 

ON  the  1st  of  July,  as  early  as  two  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  when  the  stars  were  still  twinkling  in  the  heavens,  Gen 
eral  Magruder  renewed  the  fight.  In  a  very  short  time  the 
cannonade  opened  along  the  whole  line,  and  so  desperate  was 
the  sustained  attack  of  our  forces,  that  by  the  time  noon  had 
arrived  M'Clellan  was  driven  from  all  his  positions,  abandon 
ing  his  wounded,  his  baggage,  and  many  guns.  Magruder 
followed  closely  in  pursuit,  but  with  caution,  as  he  had  to 
clear  the  surrounding  thickets  of  the  artillery  and  riflemen 
that  were  concealed  under  their  cover. 

At  half  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  our  troops  reached  the 
well-known  farm  belonging  to  D.  Carter,  called  Malvern  Hill. 
Here  General  M'Clellan  had  resolved  to  make  a  stand,  and 
had  accordingly  drawn  up  his  troops  in  order  of  battle. 
General  Magruder  lost  no  time  in  attacking  them.  Our 
columns,  in  splendid  order,  soon  cleared  the  ground  which 
separated  them  from  the  enemy,  and  advanced  to  attack 
them  in  their  intrenched  position.  But  a  hail  of  bullets 
created  fearful  gaps  in  our  ranks,  and  our  troops  had  to 
retire  for  shelter  behind  the  trees.  Generals  Smith,  Ander 
son,  and  Holmes  again  led  them  on,  when  suddenly  guns  of 
an  enormous  calibre  opened  fire  upon  us  with  terrible  effect. 
This  cannonade  proceeded  from  the  ships,  moored  at  a  dis 
tance  of  no  less  than  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  field  of 
battle.  Our  men  now  attacked  the  works  on  Malvern  Hill 
with  desperate  courage.  But  M'Clellan  resolutely  held  his 
ground,  and  it  was  not  until  midnight  that  he  was  compelled 
to  give  way  before  the  persevering  and  heroic  efforts  of  our 
troops. 

This  battle  of  the  seventh  day  will  ever  be  remembered 


328  WAR    PICTURES. 

as  the  Battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  and  will  hold  an  enduring  place 
in  the  annals  of  the  South. 

In  none  of  the  previous  battles  before  Eichmond  had  the 
fighting  been  confined  to  so  small  a  space  as  in  this  action  j 
and  in  addition  to  the  effects  of  this  concentrated  strife,  the 
fire  of  monster  guns  from  the  enemy's  ships  must  be  taken 
into  account,  as  an  aggravation  of  its  horrors ;  it  was  a  fear 
ful  sight  to  see  these  268  Ib.  shells  crash  through  the  wood 
and  explode.  This  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  war 
that  such  enormous  shells  were  used.  I  repeat,  that  the  Bat 
tle  of  Malvern  Hill  will  ever  be  a  great  and  proud  memorial 
for  that  people,  who  here  displayed  their  indomitable  spirit 
and  fixed  determination  to  conquer  or  die  for  their  liberty  and 
national  independence. 

It  was  at  Malvern  Hill,  moreover,  that  the  enemy's  lead 
er,  General  M'Clellan,  displayed  his  talents  in  the  most  ad 
vantageous  light.  Notwithstanding  his  enormous  losses,  our 
desperate  attempts  to  annihilate  the  Federal  host  failed  to  ac 
complish  that  much-cherished  object  of  our  whole  army ;  and 
for  that  unfulfilled  wish  torrents  of  blood  were  prodigally 
shed. 

I  may  venture  to  say  that,  if  M'Clellan  had  received  the 
support  that  had  been  promised  him,  he  might  have  given  a 
crushing  blow  to  the  Confederacy.  But  it  was  only  after  his 
army  had  been  routed  that  Burnside  made  his  appearance  with 
his  corps.  What  might  not  the  result  have  been,  if  that  gen 
eral  had  arrived  a  fortnight  sooner,  and  if  M'Dowell  had  not 
been  virtually  isolated  from  M'Clellan  ? 

As  General  M'Clellan  withdrew  his  shattered  forces 
through  swamps,  forests,  and  all  sorts  of  difficult  ground,  he 
could  well  exclaim,  like  Francis  I,  after  the  battle  of  Pavia, 
"  All  is  lost  except  honor  !  "  Still  undaunted,  he  retreated 
to  James  River,  to  find  protection  under  the  guns  of  his 
flotilla. 

The  tribute  of  admiration  we  here  venture  to  pay  to  Gen- 


FINAL  DEFEAT   OF  MCCLELLAN.  329 

eral  M'Clellan  is  conscientiously  bestowed.  There  are  few, 
if  any,  generals  in  the  Federal  army  that  can  bear  comparison 
with  him.  Abandoned  at  the  most  critical  moment  by 
M'Dowell ;  left  to  his  fate  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  Stanton, 
from  party  pique ;  cut  off  from  his  line  of  retreat,  he  adopted 
a  basis  of  operations  on  a  plan  of  his  own,  that  puzzled  the 
comprehension  of  less  able  men,  and  in  its  execution  he  de 
fended  every  inch  of  ground  with  bravery  and  skill.  His  last 
halt  at  Malvern  Hill  is  a  proof  of  his  military  talent,  and  he 
is  entitled  to  as  much  credit  for  his  able  combinations  as  for 
the  determined  stand  he  there  made.  But  his  troops  had,  at 
the  close  of  these  fierce  conflicts,  become  much  demoralized 
by  the  effects  of  the  previous  six  days'  fighting,  and  had  lost 
heart ;  whilst  many  of  his  generals,  having  failed  to  compre 
hend  adequately  the  ideas  of  their  commander-in-chief,  gave 
him  little  or  no  support. 


330  WAR    PICTURES. 


CONCLUDING  OBSERVATIONS. 

IF  the  question  be  raised  how  it  has  happened  that  the  success 
which  the  Federal  Government  reasonably  looked  forward  to 
obtain,  in  the  struggle  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Union, 
•  turned  chiefly  in  favor  of  the  South,  the  only  safe  conclusion 
we  can  come  to  is,  that  it  must  be  ascribed  to  a  want  of  unity 
amongst  the  Federal  generals. 

If  that  Government  had  only  possessed  a  few  such  men  as 
Sterling  Price,  of  Missouri,  the  Leonidas  of  the  Confederate 
army ;  if  the  leading  members  of  that  Government  could 
have  been  content  to  sacrifice  their  own  ambition  and  vanity 
to  a  patriotic  regard  for  the  real  interests  of  their  cause, 
affairs  might  have  taken  a  very  different  turn.  The  honor 
awarded  by  a  nation  to  its  sons  is  not  based  on  the  rank  or 
titles  they  may  hold,  but  is  a  consequence  of  the  acts  which 
they  perform.  All  the  distinctions  which  mere  vanity  strives 
to  obtain  are  utterly  barren ;  it  is  only  the  memory  of  disin 
terested,  undaunted  patriots  that  endures  in  the  hearts  of  their 
countrymen.  What  the  Washington  Government  had  to  con 
tend  against,  was  both  a  want  of  unity,  and  a  general  craving 
for  personal  notoriety. 

Such  was  the  nature  of  the  cancer  that  ought  to  have  been 
cut  out  before  it  was  so  deeply  rooted  as  to  become  incurable. 
Why  did  Fortune,  it  may  be  asked,  smile  so  often  upon  the 
arms  of  the  Confederates  ?  Because,  we  reply,  "with  a  few 
exceptions,  their  generals  acted  harmoniously  together,  and 
were  well  supported  by  their  Government  and  press ;  whilst 


CONCLUDING   OBSERVATIONS.  331 

the  Federal  Government,  on  the  contrary,  had  to  contend 
with  three  distinct  political  parties,  each  of  which  endeavored 
to  impede  the  action  of  the  other ;  and  this  practical  source 
of  disunion  caused  the  troops,  as  well  as  the  people,  occasion 
ally  to  lose  confidence  in  their  leaders,  political  and  military, 
and  necessarily  rendered  the  task  of  the  latter  much  more 
difficult  than  it  wrould  otherwise  have  been.  In  fact,  it  is  be 
yond  question  that  the  Federal  Government,  with  its  inex 
haustible  resources,  with  its  powerful  fleet  and  army,  might 
long  since  have  annihilated  the  seceding  party  in  the  Southern 
States,  whom  they  regarded  in  the  light  of  rebels,  if  its  gen 
erals  had  but  energetically  concentrated  their  operations. 

The  United  States  Government  should  only  have  had  two 
points  in  view  in  directing  their  offensive  operations  :  the  first 
and  cardinal  point  being  Richmond,  which  ought  to  have  been 
taken  at  any  cost,  for,  if  once  in  their  power,  the  deathblow 
to  the  Confederacy  would  have  been  given.  Whatever  people 
may  say  about  moving  the  seat  of  Government  further  south, 
it  matters  not ;  with  the  fall  of  Richmond,  the  Confederacy 
would  have  succumbed  likewise,  for  Richmond  was  not  only 
the  abiding  place  of  the  most  rabid  Southern  fire-eaters,  but 
of  the  thousand  overawed  partisans  of  the  Union,  who  would 
have  plucked  up  courage  to  judge  and  act  for  themselves,  had 
the  pressure  upon  them  been  removed.  The  Confederate 
Government — which,  it  must  be  remembered,  had  not  been 
really  acknowledged,  for  President  Davis  was  elected  merely 
by  a  small  body  of  partisans — would  then  have  fallen  to 
the  ground. 

The  Confederate  Government  is  perfectly  well  aware  of 
this,  and  this  is  why  they  exert  every  nerve  to  make  a  stand 
at  Richmond.  All  the  resources  indispensable  to  carry  on 
the  war  are  concentrated  in  and  around  that  city.  Virginia  is 
a  rich  and  productive  State,  quite  capable  of  providing  for  the 
wants  of  a  large  army :  iron  and  coal  mines,  rich  pastures, 
corn  land,  and  all  sorts  of  cattle,  are  to  be  found  plentifully 


332  WAR    PICTURES. 

within  it.  Richmond,  besides  being  the  seat  of  the  Confeder 
ate  Government,  is  rich  in  arsenals,  arm  founderies,  manufac 
tories  of  different  kinds,  and  great  baking  establishments  for 
the  army.  If  driven  from  Richmond,  the  Confederate  Gov: 
ernment  might  possibly  make  a  stand  for  a  fortnight  in  North 
Carolina,  but  would  then  be  compelled  to  decamp  hastily  to 
the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi. 

When  General  M'Clellan  took  post  before  Richmond,  he 
was  perfectly  well  aware  of  the  momentous  task  he  had  before 
him.  Knowing  the  enemy's  strength,  he  never  treated  them 
with  contempt;  but  he  well  knew  the  vast  importance  of 
unity  and  self-confidence.  It  was  not  his  fault  that  he  was 
beaten  before  Richmond  ;  his  failure  must  be  attributed  to  the 
blindness  of  his  Government,  who  looked  upon,  the  foe  as  one 
easily  to  be  vanquished.  When  M'Clellan  had  placed  an  iron 
collar  round  the  throat  of  that  foe,  which  he  intended  to  draw 
gradually  tighter,  and  had  obtained  a  footing  so  close  to 
Richmond  that  he  could  send  his  camion  balls  into  the  very 
centre  of  the  city,  the  Government  at  Washington  ought  to 
have  concentrated  all  its  thoughts  and  energies  to  the  one 
great  object  of  sending  M'Clellan  as  many  troops  as  would 
enable  him  to  assume  and  maintain  the  offensive. 

The  second  point  which  the  Union  Government  should 
have  kept  in  view  is  the  command  of  the  Mississippi.  The 
Federal  Government  ought,  at  any  price,  to  have  taken  pos 
session  of  that  great  road  of  communication,  no  matter  what 
amount  of  troops  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  employ  for 
that  purpose.  If  it  could  have  obtained  the  possession  of  this 
great  watercourse,  it  could  at  once  have  cut  off  a  portion  of 
the  Confederate  States  from  all  communication  with  those 
places  on  which  they  depended  for  supplies,  and  compelled 
them,  through  sheer  necessity,  to  return  to  the  Union.  With 
various  stations  for  her  ships  on  the  Mississippi,  and  an  army 
of  200,000  men  in  the  field,  the  United  States  could  hold  its 
own  against  all  comers.  The  Government  at  Washington 


CONCLUDING    OBSERVATIONS.  333 

should  not  have  attached  so  much  importance  to  its  flanks  ; 
for  on  the  one  side  they  were  protected  by  their  power, 
ful  fleet,  on  the  other  by  a  brave  and  numerous  people 
ready  to  step  forward  in  the  defence  of  their  Govern 
ment  as  soon  as  they  were  satisfied  that  the  latter  was 
in  earnest.  If  it  had  collected  together  all  the  troops  scatter 
ed  over  the  different  parts  of  its  vast  territories ;  if  it  put  at 
their  head  a  leader  provided  with  the  means  of  conducting 
the  large  army  we  have  designated — a  leader  who  had  gained 
the  love  of  his  soldiers — there  can  be  no  question  that  he 
could  have  achieved  the  greatest  results.  One  decisive  blow — 
one  great  victory — would  have  sufficed  to  induce  the  soldiers 
to  follow  him  willingly  unto  death,  wherever  he  chose  to  lead 
them ;  and  that,  too,  without  the  allurement  of  bounty,  or  of 
any  promised  reward,  but  simply  for  the  honor  of  fighting  for 
the  national  cause. 

The  various  acts  of  cruelty  that  have  been  occasionally 
perpetrated  during  this  war  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
of  the  armies  being  composed  of  heterogeneous  elements. 
There  was  no  true  soldier-like  spirit,  no  clear  conception  of 
the  laws  of  military  honor  amongst  these  great  masses,  such 
as  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  armies  of  more  civilized  nations. 
The  troops  comprised  a  singular  mixture  of  semi-savages, 
civilized  men,  patriots,  and  hot-headed  partisans,  with  some 
few  chivalrous  adventurers. 

This  lamentable  war  would  long  since  have  been  termi 
nated  if  the  Union  Government  had  actively  and  resolutely 
bestowed,  at  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  serious  atten 
tion  on  its  more  important  issues,  and  have  then  readily  made 
those  sacrifices  which  it  is  now  driven  to.  The  whole  affair 
was  treated  with  too  much  levity  :  indeed,  it  appeared  almost 
as  if  a  wish  prevailed  amongst  many  to  provoke  a  war. 
Over-confidence  in  their  resources,  national  vanity,  party 
spirit,  and  private  interests  all  served  to  kindle  the  spark 
which  has  grown  up  into  a  mighty  conflagration,  that  has  let 


334  WAR   PICTURES. 

loose  the  hellhounds  of  war  to  ravage  this  unfortunate  land. 
When  will  a  controlling  hand  be  stretched  forth  to  restore 
peace  between  the  fratricidal  opponents?  When  will  the 
mild  angel  of  peace  descend  with  the  olive  branch  to  restore 
tranquillity  and  order  in  the  dwellings  of  man,  and  to  implant 
love  within  hearts  that  are  now  filled  with  deadly  hatred  and 
revenge  ? 

Who  can  tell  1 

Ere  long,  let  us  hope  and  pray,  for  who  does  not  sincerely 
desire  it  ?  But  it  needs  the  combined  efforts  of  strong  will, 
powerful  intellect,  and  untiring  energy,  as  well  as  of  undaunt 
ed  courage,  to  recover  and  reunite  the  loosened  elements  of 
former  content,  prosperity,  and  liberty.  Anticipating,  as  I 
fervently  do,  so  desirable  a  consummation,  I  trust  that  thou 
sands  will  join  me  in  heartily  wishing  that  the  American  Re 
public,  once  the  pride  of  the  world,  may  arise  strong  and 
powerful  from  this  disastrous  struggle  ;  that  the  blood  which 
has  been  shed  in  torrents  during  this  war  may  serve  to  fertil 
ize  the  soil  of  liberty,  and  that  a  new  Union  may  arise, 
greater,  stronger,  and  more  free  than  its  predecessor ! 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 

OF 

irf   i*  (Cjor 


P.  G.  TOUSSAINT  BEAUREGARD. 

GENERAL  BEAUREGARD,  who  is  of  French  extraction,  was 
born  in  the  year  1818,  in  the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  is  the 
son  of  a  wealthy  planter  there.  After  being  educated  at  the 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  he  served  with  distinction 
in  the  Mexican  war,  and  received  the  rank  of  captain  after 
the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco ;  for  his  conduct  at 
the  battle  of  Chapultepec  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
major.  On  leaving  active  service  he  was  promised  the  post 
of  Superintendent  of  the  Academy  at  West  Point ;  but  ow 
ing,  as  it  is  reported,  to  political  intrigues,  the  appointment 
was  cancelled.  On  the  eve  of  the  outbreak  of  the  War  of 
Secession,  he  was  intrusted  with  the  command  of  the  troops 
called  out  by  the  State  of  South  Carolina  to  act  against  Fort 
Sumter.  The  surrender  of  that  stronghold,  as  well  as  General 
Beauregard's  subsequent  achievememts,  are  to  be  found  nar 
rated  in  the  text  of  this  work.  Beauregard  is  a  short,  thin 
man,  with  a  dark  complexion,  and  a  most  lively  tempera 
ment.  Although  the  expression  of  his  countenance  can  hard 
ly  be  called  prepossessing,  his  manners  are  nevertheless  most 


336  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

courteous  and  urbane,  denoting  a  man  of  good  breeding  and 
education.  After  the  great  battle  of  Manassas,  praises  and 
honors  were  showered  upon  him  by  the  whole  Confederacy, 
but  the  Southern  authorities  have  subsequently  treated  him 
with  coldness  and  neglect. 


THE    LATE 

ALBERT  SIDNEY  JOHNSTON. 

The  late  General  A.  S.  Johnston  was  born  in  the  State  of 
Kentucky  in  the  year  1803.  After  going  through  the  usual 
course  of  education  at  the  military  school  of  West  Point,  he 
joined  an  infantry  regiment  in  1826.  Appointed  adjutant  to 
General  Scott,  he  served  throughout  a  campaign  against  the  In 
dians,  but  soon  afterward  left  the  army  and  emigrated  to  Tex 
as.  He  entered  the  Texan  army  as  a  private  soldier,  but 
General  Rusk  soon  made  him  adjutant-general  of  his  com 
mand.  He  soon  rose  to  be  senior  brigadier-general  of  the 
Texan  army,  and  was  promoted  to  succeed  General  Houston, 
which  led  to  a  duel  between  them,  wherein  Johnston  was 
wounded.  In  1837  he  took  the  command-in-chief  in  Texas, 
and  in  1839  acted  as  Secretary  of  War  of  the  New  Repub 
lic.  When  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  Union  ended  in  the 
Mexican  War,  he  went  to  Mexico  at  the  request  of  General 
Taylor,  and  was  elected  colonel  of  a  volunteer  regiment,  the 
1st  Texan  Rifles,  and  specially  distinguished  himself  at  the 
battle  of  Monterey  He  afterward  took  part  in  the  war 
against  the  Mormons.  For  his  distinguished  services  he  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  in  1857,  and  to 
the  post  of  Military  Governor  of  Utah.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  civil  war,  General  A.  S.  Johnston  joined  the  Southern  Con 
federacy,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  near  Corinth. 
His  loss  was  deeply  regretted  by  the  whole  Confederacy,  but 


ROBERT  E.  LEE — THOMAS  J.  JACKSON.        337 

especially  by  the  troops,  who  were  devotedly  attached  to  him. 
He  was  of  noble  and  commanding  presence,  courteous  and  af 
fable  in  his  address,  of  a  generous  and  kindly  disposition,  and 
was  universally.esteemed  and  beloved. 


ROBERT  EDMUND  LEE. 

GENERAL  LEE  was  born  in  Virginia  in  the  year  1808.  He  is 
a  collateral  descendant  of  Washington,  and  is  the  owner  of 
Whitehouse,  a  splendid  property  which  formerly  belonged  to 
that  great  man.  He  was  educated  at  West  Point,  and  com 
manded  a  corps  of  engineers  in  the  Mexican  campaign,  during 
which  he  was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chapultepec, 
and  was  twice  brevetted  for  distinguished  gallantry.  In  1852 
he  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  Military  Academy, 
and  in  1855  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  2d  Cavalry. 
Meanwhile,  Lee  was  sent  with  M'Clellan,  then  a  captain,  to 
the  Crimea,  to  watch  the  operations  of  the  siege  of  Sebastopol. 
When  the  Civil  War  in  America  broke  out,  he  was  at  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  in  command  of  his  regiment,  but  joined  the 
Confederacy,  and  was  intrusted  with  the  chief  command  of 
the  Confederate  troops  in  Virginia,  and  subsequently  was  ap 
pointed  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  whole  Confederate  army. 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON  JACKSON. 

GENERAL  T.  J.  JACKSON  (usually  styled  "  Stonewall "  Jackson) 
was  born  at  Clarksburg,  in  the  county  of  Lewis,  Virginia,  in 
the  year  1825,  of  very  respectable  parents,  who  both  died 
when  he  was  quite  young,  leaving  him  unprovided  for.  An 
uncle  on  his  mother's  side  then  took  charge  of  him,  and  gave 
him  the  best  education  he  could  afford.  His  studious  habits 
15 


338  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  good  conduct  procured  for  him  the  office  of  constable  for 
his  county,  when  he  was  but  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1842, 
a  young  man  in  his  district  was  offered  a  cadetship  at  West 
Point,  but  not  having  much  inclination  for  a.  military  career, 
he  declined  it.  Jackson  endeavored  to  get  the  vacant  ap 
pointment,  though  strongly  dissuaded  from  trying  for  it  by 
his  friends,  who  feared  he  might  not  succeed  in  passing  his 
first  examination.  Jackson  himself  was  aware  that  he  was 
scarcely  competent  to  undergo  this  ordeal  ;  but  not  dis 
heartened,  he  energetically  set  to  work  to  qualify  himself,  and, 
provided  with  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Mr.  Hayes,  a 
member  of  Congress,  he  made  the  venture.  Jackson  suc 
ceeded  in  gaining  admission  to  the  Academy,  and  in  1846, 
having  received  his  appointment  as  second  lieutenant,  he  was 
ordered  to  join  General  Taylor's  army  on  the  Rio  Grande. 
After  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  Jackson  was  transferred  to 
General  Scott's  army,  then  engaged  in  besieging  Vera  Cruz. 
He  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant  for  his  bravery, 
and  was  present  in  nearly  every  affair  in  which  the  troops  of 
General  Scott  were  engaged ;  and,  for  his  dashing  conduct, 
was  soon  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.  In  this  campaign, 
his  health  suffered  so  severely  that  he  was  obliged  to  retire 
from  active  service.  He  then  accepted  the  offer  of  a  profes 
sorship  in  the  Military  College  at  Lexington,  in  Virginia, 
which  appointment  he  held  until  that  State  seceded  from  the 
Union.  It  has  been  alleged  that  Jackson  is  a  fatalist,  like 
Napoleon  and  some  other  great  generals;  this  imputation, 
however,  has  been  denied  by  his  intimate  associates ;  but  all 
parties  concur  in  representing  him  as  a  highly  moral,  straight 
forward  man,  deeply  imbued  with  religious  faith.  As  a  com 
mander  he  is  very  strict  in  the  maintenance  of  discipline,  but 
is,  nevertheless,  almost  worshipped  by  his  men.  Many  of 
his  brilliant  exploits,  especially  his  conduct  on  that  memorable 
occasion  on  which  the  name  of  "  Stonewall "  was  bestowed 
upon  him,  are  to  be  found  related  in  previous  portions  of  this 


THOMAS   J.    JACKSON.  339 

work.  His  appearance  is  not  prepossessing.  He  is  about  six 
feet  in  height,  and  awkward  in  his  movements,  and  has  a  small 
but  well-formed  head,  gray  eyes,  a  straight  nose,  and  light 
brown  hair.  He  is  taciturn  rather  than  communicative,  and 
his  tone  in  conversation  usually  serious  ;  but  on  occasions  he 
can  be  cheerful  and  animated.  Friends  and  foes  all  concur  in 
ranking  "  Stonewall "  Jackson  as  the  most  distinguished  officer, 
if  not,  indeed,  the  ablest  general  of  the  Confederate  army. 


NOTE. — Just  as  these  concluding  sheets  were  passing  through 
the  press,  the  unwelcome  news  reached  England  of  the  death 
of  the  subject  of  the  above  brief  sketch,  from  the  effects  of 
wounds  received  at  the  sanguinary  battle  of  Chancellorsville. 

"  He  had  often  dared  the  extremest  dangers  of  the  battle 
field,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes  were  recounted  with  wonder 
by  his  men,  who  had  almost  come  to  regard  him  as  endowed 
with  a  charmed  life.  In  him  the  Confederate  army  has  lost  a 
beloved  and  trusty  leader,  whose  very  name  was  a  tower  of 
strength.  By  common  consent,  General  Jackson  was  pre 
eminently  the  hero  of  the  war.  He  had  no  personal  enemies, 
and  no  political  antecedents  lent  a  sinister  aspect  to  his  fame. 
The  motives  which  actuated  him  in  espousing  the  cause  for 
which  he  so  zealously  contended,  were  pure  and  lofty.  In 
deed,  we  have  been  assured  that  it  was  not  without  a  severe 
struggle,  and,  at  last,  an  earnest  conviction  that  he  was  doing 
his  duty,  that  he  drew  his  sword  on  the  side  of  the  Confederacy. 
From  the  people  of  the  South  his  memory  will  receive  the 
solemn,  affectionate,  unstinted  homage  which  a  nation  pays  to 
its  chief  martyr,  while  in  this  country,  the  admiration  felt  for 
his  brilliant  achievements,  and  the  respect  to  which  he  entitled 
himself  by  his  private  virtues,  have  caused  his  death  to  be  re 
garded  with  an  intensity  of  regret,  rarely  bestowed  on  any 
but  our  own  countrymen.  He  was,  moreover,  so  pious  and 
God-fearing  a  man,  that  it  is  said  he  never  engaged  in  any 
unusual  enterprise  without  first  making  it  the  subject  of 
special  prayer." 


340  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

General  Jackson  was  twice  married. 

The  Times  thus  eloquently  adverts  to  the  death  of  the 
hero: 

"  The  Confederate  laurels  \vorn  on  the  field  of  Chancellors 
ville,  must  be  twined  with  the  cypress.  Probably  no  disaster 
of  the  war  will  have  carried  such  grief  to  Southern  hearts  as 
the  death  of  General  Jackson,  who  has  succumbed  to  the 
wounds  received  on  the  eve  of  the  great  battle  of  the  3d  of 
May.  Even  on  this  side  of  the  ocean,  the  gallant  soldier's 
fate  will  everywhere  be  heard  of  with  pity  and  sympathy. 
Not  only  as  a  brave  man  fighting  for  his  country's  independ 
ence,  but  as  a  most  consummate  general, '  Stonewall '  Jackson 
will  carry  with  him  to  his  early  grave,  the  regrets  of  all  who 
can  admire  greatness  and  genius.  From  the  earliest  days  of 
the  war,  he  has  been  conspicuous  for  the  most  remarkable 
military  qualities.  That  mixture  of  daring  and  judgment 
which  is  the  mark  of  *  heaven-born '  generals,  distinguished 
him  beyond  any  man  of  his  time.  Although  the  young  Con 
federacy  has  been  illustrated  by  a  number  of  eminent  soldiers, 
yet  the  applause  and  devotion  of  his  countrymen,  confirmed 
by  the  judgment  of  European  nations,  have  given  the  first 
jplace  to  General  Jackson.  The  military  feats  he  accomplish 
ed  moved  the  minds  of  people  with  an  astonishment  which  it 
is  only  given  to  the  highest  genius  to  produce.  The  blows  he 
struck  at  the  enemy  were  as  terrible  and  decisive  as  those  of 
Bonaparte  himself.  The  march  by  which  he  surprised  the 
army  of  Pope  last  year  would  be  enough  in  itself  to  give  him 
a  high  place  in  military  history.  But  perhaps  the  crowning 
glory  of  his  life  was  the  great  battle  in  which  he  fell.  When 
the  Federal  commander,  by  crossing  the  river  twelve  miles 
above  his  camp,  and  pressing  on,  as  he  thought,  to  the  rear  of 
the  Confederates,  had  placed  them  between  two  bodies  of  his 
army,  he  was  so  confident  of  success  as  to  boast  that  the  en 
emy  was  the  property  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac.  It  was 
reserved  to  Jackson  by  a  swift  and  secret  march  to  fall  upon 


THOMAS   J.   JACKSON.  341 

his  right  wing,  crush  it,  and,  by  an  attack  unsurpassed  in 
fierceness  and  pertinacity,  to  drive  his  very  superior  forces 
back  into  a  position  from  which  he  could  not  extricate  him 
self  except  by  flight  across  the  river. 

"He  fell  by  a  cruel  chance,  having  received  his  mortal 
wounds  in  the  confusion  of  a  melie  from  the  fire  of  his  own 
troops,  '  all  of  whom  would  have  died  for  him.'  On  the 
evening  of  the  2d  of  May,  his  men,  mistaking  him  and  his 
cortege  for  some  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  fired  with  fatal  effect, 
killing  and  wounding  several  of  the  party,  and  the  lamented 
general  himself  received  three  wounds  in  the  arm  and  hand. 
Amputation  of  the  arm  was  necessary,  and  from  the  effects 
of  this  the  Southern  hero  sank,  after  considerable  suffering, 
at  the  end  of  a  week. 

"  By  the  death  of  General  Jackson  the  South  has  lost  a 
great  and  controlling  mind — one  of  those  born  leaders  of  men 
who  can  infuse  their  own  spirit  into  all  around  them.  Such 
a  commander  is  the  soul  and  strength  of  a  cause  when  it  as 
serts  itself  in  arms.  The  combination  of  sincerity  and  enthu 
siasm  with  the  professional  skill  that  amounted  to  a  genius 
for  war  is  rare  indeed.  Power  cannot  evoke,  nor  can  the 
wealth  of  empires  create  it.  The  adherence  of  such  men  to 
a  cause  or  principle  makes  the  difference  between  success  and 
failure  to  the  side  they  select.  Had  his  last  victory  been 
more  complete  it  would  not  have  compensated  the  South  for 
the  loss  of  General  Jackson,  whose  fall  has  thrown  such  a 
dark  shadow  over  the  memory  of  the  day.  That  fall  was 
untimely,  for  he  was  still  young  in  years,  and  the  work  to 
which  he  devoted  his  life  is  unfinished.  He  might  have  done 
his  cause  more  service,  but  he  had  achieved  a  full  measure  of 
fame ;  and  rarely  has  so  brief  a  period  established  such  an 
unquestioned  military  reputation." 


842  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


STERLING  PRICE. 

GENERAL  PRICE  was  born  in  Edward  county,  Virginia,  in  the 
year  1810.  He  migrated  to  Missouri  in  1830,  where  he 
settled  as  a  farmer  in  Charlton  county.  In  1844  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  Congress,  and,  as  such,  took  his  seat  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  at  Washington.  When  the 
events  in  Texas  led  to  the  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  Price  resigned  his  seat  as  a  member  of  Congress,  and 
took  the  command  of  a  Missouri  volunteer  regiment,  receiving 
the  rank  of  colonel.  Returning  to  Missouri  on  the  termina 
tion  of  the  Mexican  war,  he  was,  some  time  after,  elected 
Governor  of  that  State  (in  1852).  When  Abraham  Lincoln 
had  been  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  civil  war  broke  out,  the  border  States  soon  followed  the 
example  set  them  by  Carolina  and  other  Southern  States  in 
seceding  from  the  Union.  General  Price,  adopting  the  cause 
of  the  Confederacy,  was  intrusted  with  the  command  of  a 
body  of  volunteers,  and  rendered  such  service  to  the  cause  by 
his  skill  and  activity  that  he  has  entitled  himself  to  be  regard 
ed  as  an  able  officer  and  gallant  soldier. 


C.   FREDERICK  HENNINGSEN. 

AMONGST  the  many  military  men  of  talent  with  which  the 
present  age  abounds,  there  are  none  perhaps  whose  career 
furnishes  more  varied  interest  than  the  subject  of  this  brief 
sketch.  In  whatever  field  of  action  we  behold  him,  whether 
in  the  wilds  of  Tartary,  in  Circassia,  in  the  Basque  Provinces, 
in  Hungary,  at  the  sanguinary  siege  of  Comorn,  or  in  the 
pathless  mountains  of  Nicaragua,  we  ever  find  him  manifesting 
the  same  high  military  qualities  and  the  same  scrupulous  love 


0.    FREDERICK   HENNINGSEN.  343 

of  honor.  General  Henningsen  was  born  in  London  in  the 
year  1816.  When  scarcely  sixteen  years  of  age  the  civil  war 
in  Spain,  consequent  on  the  death  of  Ferdinand  VII,  had  just 
broken  out,  and  attracted  the  general  attention  of  Europe. 
Henningsen,  prompted  by  an  energetic  spirit,  joined  the 
Carlist  chief,  Zumalacarreguy,  as  a  volunteer,  in  the  Basque 
Provinces.  He  soon  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain  in  that 
general's  body  guard,  and  was  made  a  knight  of  the  order  of 
St.  Ferdinand.  On  his  return  to  England  he  published  a 
"  History  of  the  War  in  Spain,"  a  work  which  earned  for  him 
the  favorable  opinion  of  both  the  Duke  of  Wellington  and 
Marshal  Soult.  When  scarcely  twenty  years  of  age  he  re 
turned  to  Spain  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and, 
after  the  battle  of  Villar  de  los  Navarros,  was  entrusted  with 
the  command  of  the  cavalry.  As  a  reward  for  his  gallantry 
before  Madrid  he  received  the  rank  of  a  full  colonel,  and  the 
order  of  Isabella.  He  next  served  with  the  Russian  army  in 
the  campaign  against  the  Circassians,  and  wrote  a  work  on  the 
Caucasus,  which  was  published  by  the  Russian  Government  as 
an  official  document.  He  next  published  a  work  entitled, 
"  The  Revolutions  of  Russia,"  which  was  well  spoken  of  at 
the  time.  He  subsequently  went  to  Hungary,  and  was  in 
trusted  with  the  command  of  Comorn.  When  the  struggle 
there  was  over,  Henningsen  turned  his  attention  to  the  im 
provement  of  firearms,  and  superintended  the  construction 
of  the  first  Minie  rifles  introduced  into  America.  But  he  con 
tinued  to  devote  himself  to  literary  pursuits,  and  published 
the  following  works :  "  A  Twelvemonth's  Campaign  under 
Zumalacarreguy ; "  "  The  White  Slave,"  a  novel ;  "  Eastern 
Europe  Sixty  Years  ago,"  a  Russian  novel.  But  of  all  his 
writings,  "Analogies  and  Contrasts"  met  with  the  greatest 
success.  When  the  war  in  Nicaragua  assumed  a  serious 
aspect,  the  want  of  a  good  leader  was  felt.  Some  of  Presi 
dent  Walker's  friends  proposed  Henningsen,  who  had  then 
taken  up  his  residence  at  New  York.  An  offer  was  thereupon 


344  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

made  to  him,  and,  on  accepting  it,  he  embarked  for  Nicaragua. 
At  the  termination  of  the  war  there  he  proceeded  to  Georgia, 
of  which  State  he  became  a  naturalized  citizen,  and  when  the 
war  of  secession  broke  out  he  accepted  the  post  of  second  in 
command  of  Wise's  legion,  in  the  service  of  the  Confederates. 
The  dilatory  conduct  of  the  Government,  however,  has 
hitherto  not  afforded  him  an  opportunity  for  the  display  of 
his  military  talents.  General  Henningsen  is  tall,  and  quite 
the  soldier  in  appearance ;  he  speaks  eight  different  languages 
with  the  same  fluency  as  he  does  his  mother  tongue,  and  is 
incontestably  a  most  accomplished  and  well-informed  military 
man. 


JOSEPH  ECCLESTON  JOHNSTON.* 

Tins  officer,  who  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  entered  the  Military 
Academy  in  1825,  passed  thence  to  the  4th  Artillery,  and  re 
tired  in  1837 ;  but,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Florida  war 
shortly  afterward,  he  entered  the  Topographical  Engineers 
and  served  during  that  contest.  In  1846,  as  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  Voltigeurs,  he  served  during  the  Mexican  war,  having 
been  present  at  all  the  engagements  between  Vera  Cruz  and 
the  capital,  was  twice  wounded  and  twice  bre vetted.  In  1860 
he  left  the  line  and  became  quartermaster-general  to  the 
United  States  army,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier-general.  He 
is  very  simple  and  unassuming  in  his  bearing,  but  his  coun 
tenance  is  expressive  of  great  resolution  and  capacity.  Gen 
eral  Joseph  Johnston,  who  took  service  in  the  Confederate 
army  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  was  very  severely 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines. 

*  The  substance  of  the  above  and  of  the  four  subsequent  sketches  is  derived, 
cy  permission  of  the  proprietors,  from  the  columns  of  Once  a  Week. 


EDMUND   KIBBY   SMITH — BKAXTON   BRAGG.  345 


EDMUND  KIRBY  SMITH. 

KIRBY  SMITH,  who  is  from  the  State  of  Florida,  was  a  cadet 
in  1841,  and  served  through  the  Mexican  war,  at  first  as  a 
lieutenant  of  the  5th  Infantry — wherein  were  two  other  officers 
of  the  same  name,  both  of  distinguished  bravery,  and  both 
slain  in  action — and  afterward  in  the  7th  Infantry,  and  was 
twice  brevetted  for  gallantry.  He  was  for  a  time  mathemati 
cal  professor  of  the  Military  Academy ;  and  in  1861  was  a 
captain  in  the  2d  Cavalry.  This  able  officer  joined  the  Con 
federate  forces  soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war  of 
secession,  and  it  was  his  timely  arrival  with  the  strong  divis 
ion  under  his  command,  at  the  close  of  the  battle  of  Manassas, 
that  decided  the  victory  of  the  Confederate  army. 


BRAXTON  BRAGG. 

GENERAL  BRAGG  is  a  native  of  North  Carolina.  He  became 
a  cadet  of  the  Military  Academy  in  1833,  and  was  known  by 
name  at  least  throughout  the  Republic  for  his  heroic  conduct 
during  the  Mexican  war,  especially  by  his  gallant  defence, 
when  a  lieutenant  of  the  3d  Artillery,  of  Fort  Brown — a  lit 
tle  earthwork  hastily  thrown  up  by  General  Taylor  on  the 
bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  the  city  of  Matamoras ; 
and  also  by  his  subsequent  conduct  at  Buena  Vista,  when  his 
battery,  supported  only  by  the  1st  Mississippi  Rifles,  charged 
and  routed  the  Mexican  army,  after  the  volunteer  infantry 
had  fled  en  masse.  He  received  four  brevets  during  that  war. 
In  1854  he  was  only  a  captain,  and  retired  from  the  service 
some  years  since.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he 
was  intrusted  with  an  important  command,  and  received  the 

rank  of  a  general. 
15* 


346  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


JAMES     LONGSTREET. 

THIS  distinguished  officer,  one  of  the  ablest  generals  of  the 
Confederate  army,  was  born  in  South  Carolina.  He  became 
a  cadet  in  1838,  and  was  attached  successively  to  the  4th  and 
8th  Infantry,  was  present  at  Monterey,  and  all  the  battles  in 
the  Valley  of  Mexico;  was  wounded  at  Chapultepec,  and 
twice  brevetted.  In  1858  he  passed  from  the  line  into  the 
paymaster's  department,  and  belonged  to  it  at  the  commence 
ment  of  the  present  struggle  in  1861.  The  very  active  part 
taken  by  General  Longstreet  in  the  great  battles  and  other 
military  operations  of  the  Cival  War,  will  be  found  narrated 
in  the  previous  pages  of  this  work. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 


OF 


ft*  it  lit  joff  t&*  f 


G.  B.  M'CLELLAN. 

GENERAL  GEORGE  B.  M'CLELLAN  was  born  at  Philadelphia 
in  the  year  1826,  and  is  the  descendant  of  an  old  Scotch  fam 
ily,  the  lairds  of  Kirkcudbright.  He  received  his  military 
education  at  the  academy  of  West  Point,  which  he  quitted  in 
1846,  after  a  course  of  careful  study,  and  with  a  certificate  of 
exemplary  conduct,  and  with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant  of 
engineers.  He  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  distinguished 
himself  at  the  battles  of  Contreras,  Churubusco,  Molino  del 
Key,  and  Chapultepec.  For  his  gallant  conduct  in  the  latter 
engagement,  he  received  the  brevet  rank  of  captain,  and  had 
the  command  given  to  him  of  a  company  of  sappers  and  mi 
ners.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  war  he  returned  to  W^est 
Point,  and  remained  there  on  duty  with  his  company  until 
1851.  About  this  time  he  introduced  the  bayonet  exercise 
into  the  American  army,  and  prepared  a  military  manual, 
which  is  now  used  as  a  text  book  in  that  service.  In  the 
spring  of  1852  he  served  under  Major  Marcy,  in  the  expedi 
tion  for  exploring  the  Red  river,  and  soon  after  joined  the 
staff  of  General  Persifer  Smith,  a  senior  engineer,  and  was 


348  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

engaged  in  surveying  the  rivers  and  harbors  of  that  State, 
In  1853  he  superintended  the  western  division  of  the  survey 
of  the  North  Pacific  Railroad  route ;  returning  in  1854,  he 
received  a  commission  in  the  cavalry,  and  was  soon  after  ap 
pointed  a  member  of  the  commission  sent  by  the  United 
States  Government  to  the  seat  of  war  in  the  Crimea,  to  watch 
the  progress  of  the  siege  of  Sebastopol ;  having  for  his  asso 
ciates,  Colonel  R.  E.  Lee,  the  present  Commander-in-Chief  of 
the  Confederate  forces,  and  Major  Mordecai.  The  result  of 
his  observations  was  a  critical  report  on  the  "  Organization  of 
European  Armies,  and  the  Operations  of  War." 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  M'Clellan  returned  to  Amer 
ica,  and  after  two  years'  service  resigned  his  commission,  and 
became  Vice-President  and  Engineer  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  which  post  he  held  for  three  years.  On  the  civil 
war  breaking  out,  the  command  was  given  to  him  of  the  mi 
litia  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  with  the  rank  of  major-general. 
He  soon  greatly  distinguished  himself  by  his  victory  at  Rich 
Mountain.  After  the  disaster  at  Manassas,  he  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  on  the  retirement 
of  General  Scott,  was  appointed  to  fill  his  post  as  Command 
er-in-Chief;  M'Clellan  may  truly  be  said  to  possess  most  of 
the  qualifications  required  to  constitute  a  good  general.  The 
pages  of  this  work  will  be  found  to  bear  full  and  impartial 
testimony  to  the  bravery,  sagacity,  and  calm  judgment  dis 
played  by  him  on  many  occasions — especially  when  in  com 
mand  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — and  also  to  his  successful 
efforts  in  organizing  the  Federal  army. 


FRANCIS  SIGEL. 

THIS  officer,  who  holds  a  deservedly  high  place  amongst  the 
generals  of  the  Federal  army,  was  born  at  Sinsheim,  in  the 
Grand  Duchy  of  Baden,  in  1824,  and  was  educated  in  the 


AMBROSE   E.    BURNSIDE — DON   CARLOS   BUELL.  349 

military  academy  at  Carlsruhe,  the  capital  of  that  duchy.  In 
the  political  outbreak  in  Germany  in  1848,  he  joined  the  rev- 
ol  a  denary  party,  and  eventually  emigrated  to  America,  se 
lecting  the  State  of  Missouri  as  his  new  home.  When  the  tide 
of  civil  war  threatened  the  security  of  Missouri,  he  appealed 
to  all  the  German  settlers  in  that  State  to  rally  round  him  in 
defence  of  their  homesteads.  All  those  men  who  had  for 
merly  served  under  him  in  Germany  hastened  to  join  his  flag ; 
a  mark  of  confidence  of  which  he  had  much  reason  to  feel 
proud.  The  great  skill  and  ability  with  which  he  led  his  le 
gion  in  their  progress  through  the  prairies  of  Missouri,  was 
so  highly  appreciated,  that  the  rank  of  major-general  was  be 
stowed  upon  him. 

AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSIDE. 

GENERAL  BURNSIDE,  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  was  born  in  the 
year  1824,  and  was  educated  at  West  Point.  In  1847  he  re 
ceived  the  appointment  of  lieutenant  of  artillery  in  the  United 
States  army,  and  served  in  the  Mexican  campaign.  In  1852 
he  quitted  the  army  and  was  appointed  a  railway  engineer. 
When  the  Civil  War  broke  out  the  command  was  given  to 
him  of  the  1st  regiment  of  volunteers  of  the  State  of  Rhode 
Island.  In  1861,  in  consequence  of  the  great  activity  and 
military  skill  which  he  displayed,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  a  brigadier-general,  and  was  subsequently,  also,  in 
trusted  with  the  command  of  the  military  and  naval  expedi 
tion  directed  against  the  coast  of  North  Carolina. 


DON  CARLOS  BUELL. 

GENERAL  BUELL,  who  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  was 
an  infantry  cadet  in  1837,  and  served  with  much  credit  in  the 
Mexican  war,  during  which  he  was  twice  promoted  for  the 


350  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

bravery  he  displayed.  After  the  battle  of  Churubusco,  in 
which  he  was  severely  wounded,  he  received  the  rank  of  ma 
jor.  On  the  termination  of  the  Mexican  war  he  was  ap 
pointed  adjutant-general,  but  quitted  the  service  in  1851. 
General  Buell  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Union,  on  the  seces 
sion  of  the  Southern  States;  he  is  a  distinguished  officer, 
brave  and  energetic,  and  his  kind-hearted  conduct  toward  the 
prisoners  who  fell  into  his  hands  has  won  for  him  golden  opin 
ions  even  among  the  Confederate  soldiers. 


HENRY  WAGER  HALLECK. 

GENERAL  HALLECK  was  educated  at  West  Point,  as  an  engi 
neer,  and  at  one  time  was  a  professor  in  that  military  school. 
Before  the  Civil  War  broke  out  he  was  known  as  the  author 
of  various  military  works,  and  also  as  a  rising  barrister  at 
San  Francisco,  in  California,  in  which  State  he  had  previously 
served  with  distinction  during  the  Mexican  war,  that  led  to 
its  annexation  to  the  United  States,  and  he  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  captain.  He  left  the  service  in  1854,  and  subse 
quently  became  Secretary  of  State  for  the  province  of  Cali 
fornia,  under  the  military  government  of  Generals  Kearny, 
Mason,  and  Riley,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Convention  which 
drew  up  the  constitution  of  California  in  1859.  He  disap 
peared  for  a  time  from  public  life,  following  his  profession  as 
a  lawyer  on  behalf  of  his  Mexican  clients  in  California,  until 
the  war  of  secession  broke  out,  when  he  was  induced  to  take 
service  in  the  Federal  army,  with  the  rank  of  major-general. 
General  Halleck's  outward  appearance  by  no  means  indicates 
the  soldier,  although  he  is  not  deficient  in  the  dignity  due  to 
his  rank ;  but  whether  on  active  service  or  not,  his  bearing 
more  resembles  that  of  a  peaceful  citizen  than  of  a  general 
officer.  On  the  22d  of  July,  1862,  General  Halleck  was  ap 
pointed  Commander-in-Chief  cf  all  the  troops  in  the  United 
States. 


ULYSSES  S.  GKANT — JOHN  C.  FREMONT.       351 


ULYSSES  S.  GRANT. 

GENERAL  GRANT  was  born  in  1828,  in  the  State  of  Ohio. 
After  being  educated  at  West  Point,  he  received  his  appoint 
ment  as  lieutenant  in  the  4th  infantry  in  the  year  1845,  and 
served  with  great  credit  in  the  Mexican  war.  In  1847  he  was 
appointed  quartermaster  of  his  regiment ;  but  shortly  after 
ward  left  the  service  and  settled  in  the  State  of  Illinois. 
When  the  civil  war  in  America  broke  out,  the  command  was 
given  to  him  of  the  2d  volunteer  regiment  of  Illinois.  He 
was  appointed  a  brigadier-general  in  1861,  and  in  the  March 
of  the  following  year  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  rnajor- 
general,  and  was  intrusted  with  the  command  of  the  army  in 
West  Tennessee. 


JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT. 

GENERAL  FREMONT  was  born  in  the  year  1813,  in  the  State 
of  South  Carolina,  where  his  father,  a  native  of  France,  had 
settled.  As  a  youth  he  was  noted  as  an  excellent  mathema 
tician,  and  in  his  twentieth  year  was  appointed  professor  of 
mathematics  on  board  the  man-of-war  Natchez.  He  also  ac 
companied  various  exploring  expeditions  in  the  West,  fitted 
out  by  the  United  States  Government.  In  the  year  1838  he 
was  appointed  lieutenant  in  the  corps  of  topographical  engi 
neers,  and  a  few  years  afterward  was  intrusted  with  the  com 
mand  of  very  important  exploring  expeditions  in  the  West. 
In  1845  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain,  and  made  a 
third  and  extensive  journey  to  Oregon  and  California.  In 
California  he  took  the  command  of  the  North  Americans  re 
siding  there,  and  in  a  few  weeks  cleared  the  northern  part  of 
the  country  from  the  Mexican  troops,  for  which  valuable  ser 
vice  he  was  appointed  Governor.  In  1849  he  succeeded  in  dis- 


352  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

covering  a  practicable  route  of  communication  for  connecting 
California  with  the  Eastern  States  of  North  America.  This 
was  his  last  exploring  expedition  previous  to  his  settling  in 
California,  for  which  State  he  was  elected  Senator.  Soon  after 
the  commencement  of  the  war  of  secession  he  took  service  in 
the  United  States  army,  and  was  intrusted  with  an  important 
command  in  Missouri. 


THE     END 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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